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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23563009">Life without a pulse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91'>SilentRain91</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Especially from Lena, F/F, Falling In Love, First Dates, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Lust, Nonbinary Character, Not Canon Compliant, Secrets, Strangers to Lovers, Vampire!Lena, Vampires, human!kara, some cursing involved</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 07:34:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>122,057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23563009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In many a story, vampires appear as popular beings everyone fawns over at first glance or they are painted as these gruesome, pale monsters that’d eliminate anyone on their path without hesitation. But nobody ever talked about the difficulties of life without a heartbeat. Vampires, much like humans, had their fair share of struggles. </p><p>This tale is about Lena and the mortal that very well could be her undoing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Background Lucy Westenra/Leslie Willis, Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Minor Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>636</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>You wouldn't believe how many hours I spent writing the first chapter, but here it is!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lena sighed as the light remained an angry red. She had placed her palm on top of the side of the walk sign traffic light, time and again, to no avail. Whose stupid idea was it anyway to not let it turn green automatically every five minutes before 7 a.m.? Did mortals truly need that much sleep?</p><p>Lena’s pallid fingers rapped idly against the thick plastic, not that it would somehow allow her to have a heat signature, for she was doomed to be cold to the touch, forever. If it was up to her, she’d have the light switch color every so often regardless of what time it was, or at the very least install a better system. As if Lena ever asked to become a walking ice sculpture in the flesh.</p><p>But being frustrated didn’t help, and neither did knowing the sun was bound to rise soon. Glancing left and right, Lena contemplated making a run for it; slumping her shoulders after establishing the risk of exposure was too high. Humans these days with their movies and their thirst for fictional horror were wildly unpredictable, and therefore capable of anything, including exposing immortals to their greatest natural weakness.</p><p>A silver Volvo revved by, nearly hitting the side of a black Sedan. Lena rolled her eyes. Back when she was a mortal, she wasn’t half that reckless with her life; not until the end, but she didn’t like to dwell on that. What was done couldn’t be changed, no matter how often she wished differently.</p><p><em>I shall not relent to these melancholic memories</em>, Lena told herself, willing them away. As a vampire, her memory was impeccable, down to every little detail, even the most agonizing or insignificant ones. If she had any skill at all to paint, Picasso would have had nothing on her. </p><p>“Thomas, don’t run! The light’s red!”</p><p>The sudden feminine voice with a certain roughness around the edges brought Lena back to the present. But before the woman’s presence fully settled in, another became apparent as a boy with auburn curls and bright green eyes barreled into Lena.</p><p>What was the deal with human personifications of ineptness? At least Lena never tripped into things, let alone people, but that had nothing to do with her immortality, although it did sharpen her reflexes exponentially.</p><p>“S-so-sor-sorry!” the child stammered, taking a step back. His chubby little hamster cheeks reddened and his bleak blue sneakers suddenly held his interest.</p><p>Even with his head down, the vein on his neck screamed at Lena, offering her a drink.</p><p>
  <em>Go away, go away, go away! </em>
</p><p>Lena shut her eyes for a second; not daring to inhale or the scent would surely cause her to double over. She sucked her lips into her mouth, biting back the thirst pulsating throughout her body. Not even a split second; that was how long it would take to end such a young life and end it Lena could if she didn’t simmer down her ungodly instinct for destruction.</p><p>“What’d I tell you, Thomas?” the woman – presumably his mother – said as she caught up to the boy, pushing a stroller ahead of her. “Kids never listen,” the woman muttered. “Have you got any?”</p><p>Lena blinked. Kids? Her? Even as a human she had no idea what to do with those mini-whatever-they-were-humans.</p><p>“I can’t say I have,” Lena answered, somewhat pleased when the woman successfully placed her hand atop the signal to cross the road. But that didn’t mean Lena was in the mood for small talk – let alone about children, so she was quick to add, “I’m barren. Children have never been in the cards for me, but considering I’m pro-abortion, the devil did me a favor.”</p><p>The woman’s eyes widened for a moment, just as the light turned green. “I, ah, it’s unfortunate you’re barren, Miss,” she rushed out, grabbing the boy’s hand. “Have a nice day now!”</p><p>Lena bit back a chuckle. Making humans uncomfortable always did the trick to scare them away without flashing her fangs or threatening to kill their entire family while they slept. Not that she ever did that…not since the fifties, at least.</p><p>Her humor vanished when the realization she couldn’t make it back to her place before sunrise struck her. Lena balled her fists while she picked up a jogging pace. It was ridiculous, really, running while clad in a suit, but definitely far more reasonable than stupidly getting flashed by the sun.</p><p>In her haste for a safe haven, Lena’s knee got caught on a piece of wire, ripping a grape-sized hole into her pants. Perfect, that was the third pair ruined in just as many weeks. Clothes were ridiculously easy to tear, much to Lena’s ever-growing frustration. She’d been so careful putting them on hours ago, all for nothing.</p><p>A growl rumbled in Lena’s throat and as it tore free, she gave her shirt a tug strong enough to get rid of its buttons all at once. “Perfect,” Lena said, running her tongue over her sharpened teeth.</p><p>Lena’s impulsively chosen host would no doubt not object the slightest to letting her in, in such a disheveled state. With one last quick pit-stop, she neared a half-open house and ducked into its garden.</p><p>Lena’s fist hovered mere inches above a metal door that led to a cellar. If she wanted to, she could break in within a heartbeat, but she couldn’t. Not without letting the sun in, too. “Let me in!” she all but screamed, voice filled with much more despair than she wanted to show.</p><p>On the horizon, the first rays of sunlight broke through. A sliver caught one of the tips of Lena’s raven locks, coloring it gray. If it were possible for an immortal to die of a heart attack; she would have had a stroke right there and then.</p><p>She let her nails dig into her palms, and even though vampires couldn’t sweat, Lena swore she did. The prospect of the yellow thing she had hated her whole life revealing itself paralyzed her to the point where she could no longer form words. Lena knew she shouldn’t have been outside as long as she had.</p><p>
  <em>I deserve to die. My time has come. </em>
</p><p>The sound of the hinges of the metal door creaking welcomed Lena’s ears, and in those three seconds, give or take, not even music could trump the satisfaction she felt.</p><p>“Password?”</p><p>A human wasn’t going to take away Lena’s genuine joy, however short-lived. “Let me in or I’ll rip your throat out!” She sneered through clenched teeth. Regaining some sense of gratefulness the instant she was inside and the door slammed down, casting the cellar in darkness, she said, “I brought you a burger.”</p><p>How Lena actually pulled it off to buy food in her panicked rush was beyond herself, but deep down she knew there was an arrangement to stick to. Blood and shelter, in exchange for edibles. Not that the human had ever kicked Lena out when she forgot or ran too short on time. Then again, beggars can’t be choosers, right?</p><p>Lena sat quietly while the mortal slammed her palm against the wall until she found the light switch, followed by a grunt and a pair of green eyes screwing shut.</p><p>“Haven’t seen you in a while,” the human murmured.</p><p>Her name was Leslie, someone Lena met a little over a decade ago when she was nothing but a runaway with little more than the clothes on her back. Leslie knew Lena’s secret because their deal worked, and gave both of them a low profile.</p><p>“Thanks,” Leslie said, accepting the burger. “I’ve got some blood stored in the fridge for you,” she continued, taking a large bite.</p><p>Lena snatched Leslie’s free arm, fingers curling around her wrist. “You’re back to poisoning your veins?” Lena glowered, her iron grip not allowing the mortal to budge. “Seriously, Leslie, what did I tell you last time?”</p><p>Leslie tugged harshly. “Why the fuck does it matter to you!?” she spat out, tossing the burger onto the nearby table.</p><p>Lena almost snapped Leslie’s wrist; grip so tight it was bound to leave a mark. “You’re my on the go blood supply,” Lena replied, easing her fingers without letting go.</p><p>Leslie scoffed. “I’m sure there are plenty more losers on the street, eager to trade some of their blood for a burger and a beer, which by the way, where the hell is my beer?”</p><p>“You’re impossible sometimes. Once the sun sets, we can each go our separate way.”</p><p>“Aw shucks,” Leslie uttered sweetly. “You want me to keep you company?”</p><p>One day, that mortal was going to get herself killed, and Lena would happily watch it happen.</p><p>“If you open the hatch, I’ll burn,” Lena snapped vehemently, swearing to herself she would take Leslie down with her while she listened to Leslie letting out a dry chuckle.</p><p>“Chill, babe, I’m just messing with ya,” Leslie replied, munching on her burger once both of her hands were free. “But what’s up with you acting like you’re my dad? I’ve got two years on you. Then again, you’ve probably been 26 for ages,” Leslie assessed with a quick once-over.</p><p>For someone she could spend more than ten minutes at a time with, Leslie was also the kind of person Lena could kill on sight. “Careful,” Lena whispered lowly.</p><p>“Sensitive, are we?” Leslie grinned, but every trace of humor vanished and her face drained of color at Lena’s darkened glare, making even the white in her eyes turn as black as coal. “So,” Leslie gulped. “I take it that’s a no on guessing when you were born?”</p><p>Lena pulled her lips into a tight line. She didn’t talk about her life as a human, or how she became a vampire; Leslie knew that. Such a pathetic attempt at lightening the mood was futile, although Lena was hyperaware the sun wasn’t setting anytime soon.</p><p>“I’ve been thinking,” Leslie murmured, scratching the back of her neck. “What would you do if people found out what you are?”</p><p>Lena’s eyes narrowed into thin slits; her glare deadlier than a rattlesnake’s bite. “You intend to expose me?” she inquired, concealing the rage in her voice as best as she could.</p><p>“Eh, I won’t tell on you. We keep each other alive,” Leslie replied, shrugging a shoulder. “But fyi, you don’t look scary,” she spoke calmly, pecking Lena’s cheek.</p><p>“I’ve murdered children,” Lena revealed icily, eyes hardening.</p><p>Leslie laughed dryly. “I’d murder them, too, if I was a vamp.”</p><p>Lena chuckled, though not out of amusement. “This is where you and I differ,” she hummed, letting her new knowledge sink in. “You’d murder them because you <em>want</em> to. I kill them only when I <em>have</em> to when I lose control. I hate children because my thirst drives me mad when they are near me. There is no blood in the world purer than theirs, and to take their life is to take innocence, which makes me…” Lena’s skin strained around her knuckles while resentment filled her lungs. “Evil,” she whispered, the word harsh on her tongue, bitter in its existence.</p><p>Leslie shook her head, the poor attempt at a warning lost on her. Her eyes shone bright, with more of a spark in them than Lena ever bore witness to. Some sentence among the lines of ‘I don’t care’ flitted over Leslie’s lips before she attached them to the underside of Lena’s jaw, softly brushing them against the cool marble skin as her hot breath caught in the back of her throat.</p><p>Lena promptly halted Leslie’s lips from descending her neck. “I don’t feel for you the way a partner would,” Lena cautioned as she met Leslie’s eyes, fingers working to unknot the messy mop of blonde hair as quickly and painlessly as possible. It was the best Lena could manage doing when it came down to caring for another being.  </p><p>“Yeah, I know,” Leslie breathed out, hands reaching to touch Lena’s cheeks. “I don’t like you like that either,” Leslie snickered, shaking her head, “glad we’re on the same page here, Elsa.”</p><p>Lena’s eyebrows creased together. She never quite understood why Leslie resorted to calling her that when she herself not once had spoken that name. But humans were strange sometimes and it was better to let it go than waste time on obtaining useless information.</p><p>Leslie sighed heavily. “Look,” she began, leaning her body away for a moment. “All I want is a warm- err, a body close to mine. Skin on skin,” she shrugged. “Contact, y’know?”</p><p>Ah yes, mortals and their need for companionship. “If I tell you to stop-”</p><p>“Relax, babe,” Leslie smiled, “consent is sexy. ‘Course I’ll stop when you want me to.”</p><p>Lena clicked her tongue. “Quit drugs,” she murmured, placing her cold lips against Leslie’s jaw, just below her ear. A word akin to ‘please’ crossed Lena’s mind, but she’d be damned to beg a mortal for anything, let alone someone as smug as this particular one.</p><p>“Promise me,” Lena insisted, trailing her fingers deliberately down Leslie’s chest. With a single flick, the button of Leslie’s jeans knocked a dent into the wall, which had Leslie gasp. “Promise you’ll try,” Lena altered, watching the internal conflict pass through Leslie’s eyes, “stop poisoning your body.”</p><p>Leslie’s breath hitched. “Damn you, seductive sucker. Fine! Just…argh, just don’t break my wrists this time,” she grunted, breathing growing harsher. “And be careful with my pelvis! That shit hurts like a motherfucker. I thought it was never going to heal.”</p><p>Lena’s jaw clenched. Her strength was beyond herself and humans were made out of paper. For that, she could never be close to a mortal without inflicting pain; whether she desired to or not. Unlike Leslie, trying was hardly an option for Lena.</p><p>This time, Leslie got off easy with three broken fingers, a sprained wrist, and bruised ribs.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It was barely a quarter past seven when the moon revealed itself, sharing its stunning light. The nights were something Lena always admired, which made being tied to the darkness a little easier of a pill to swallow. Her feet touched the blades of grass, and for a moment, while her eyes took in the park, life didn’t appear all that horrible.</p><p>In the distance, someone walked their dog while another human seemed to think putting a cat on a leash was a smart idea. The latter jumped a foot into the air when the dog started barking. Some entertainment was always welcome, though Lena would put her money on the cat winning the fight by playing dirty.</p><p>Another sound caught Lena’s attention. It was a light pitter-patter pattern, but far less gentle than the rain, and as uneven as the hill it came down from. A monstrous minuscule blob in a pink jumper barreled past Lena, toward the pond, excitingly shrieking “uk, uk!”</p><p>Lena’s hand moved at blinding speed, grasping the back of the cotton fabric. In one swift move, the little demon dangled in front of her; upside down. But when its lip curled into a pout, Lena corrected her hold before the monster unleashed its horrendous crocodile tears.</p><p>The virus thanked Lena with a smile and all its attention for the ducks in the pond vanished as it stared at Lena. Maybe a Happy Meal for vampires did exist, which Leslie once upon a time had taunted Lena about in her relentless pursuit of getting under Lena’s skin.</p><p>“How dare you look at me with those Bambi eyes of yours?” Lena whispered in a snarl. “You tiny sack of blood,” she added, appalled when the child cooed and tried to touch her nose with its chubby chicken fingers.</p><p>Lena squeezed her eyes, arms trembling with thinly veiled self-control. “Be very afraid, mini-mortal,” she said, meaning to sound nightmarish, but her words came out quivering. For the scariest being on earth, she sure knew how to embarrass herself in front of a toddler.</p><p>The brown-haired bundle of innocence giggled. “Oooo,” the mini-human drooled, reaching for Lena’s hair.</p><p>
  <em>Perhaps if I toss this thing into the pond, I won’t have to deal with it thinking it’s cute. </em>
</p><p>“Hii! Hey!” A woman called out as she jogged to catch up. “Thank you so-” She stopped midsentence, placed her hands on her knees, and heaved in handfuls of air. “So…much,” she managed with a smile that had Lena almost drop the child if it weren’t for her reflexes moving faster than her brain.</p><p>“Thank goodness you’re here…,” the human with blonde locks that surpassed her shoulders spoke cheerfully, less out of breath, though her heart beat wildly in her chest. By the time Lena’s brain connected enough dots to understand the woman left a pause to learn her name, the mortal continued talking.</p><p>“Alex would kill me if she knew Jamie almost fell into the pond!” the woman laughed, but her humored expressions made place for a grimace. “I’m already late because I ran out of kibble – I swear Mister Jingles eats more than he weighs, he’s a bottomless pit! – so I had to go to the supermarket and drop off my bags at home because I didn’t want to tow them along when I’m supposed to be carrying Jamie.”</p><p>Lena blinked at the blue irises, surprised by the liveliness in them and the light, despite the fact it was getting dark out to the point where the other humans had left the park, save from this blabbering waterfall of a mortal and her mini-me. Not that the tiny creature had any outstanding similarities to the young adult, whom Lena guessed was around her age, though mortals these days cared little about such details.  </p><p>Well, not quite her age, but the age Lena died at, to be precise.</p><p>It brought Lena back to the horrid present where she was very much still holding that thing – and that the mini monster slowly drooled all over her hands.</p><p>
  <em>You tiny blood supply, have thy no sense of avoiding strangers?</em>
</p><p>“...and now I’ve been hurrying because I can’t keep Alex waiting with dinner,” the woman rambled on. “Plus it’s unlike me to keep Alex waiting when it comes to food. I love food! Not that I’m usually late, I’m rather punctual, but, err, I guess I got a little distracted,” she chuckled. “I’d invite you to show my gratitude, but I don’t think there will be any food left to share,” she sighed.</p><p>Lena shook her head. “I’m not hungry,” she responded, throat tight.</p><p>“Oh, are you sure? You look a little…” The woman rolled her lips into her mouth, cheeks tinged red while Lena cocked her head in question.</p><p>“Anyway,” the woman coughed, finally taking the mini-mortal from Lena’s hands, “um, thanks. Thank you so much! You’re a <em>hero</em>!”</p><p>Lena reflectively cringed, for she was anything but. That woman had no idea how close Lena came to harming an innocent child, and the agony she was in resisting the pull to sink her teeth in the woman’s neck. Lena’s thirst blazed right through her, begging for a taste.</p><p>“I’m Kara, by the way,” the human smiled. “Kara Danvers. I’d shake your hand, but um, they’re a little full at the moment,” she laughed, nodding her head down at the child.</p><p>
  <em>Does this mortal come with a delete button to salvage my sanity?</em>
</p><p>“Hello, Kara. My name is Lena,” Lena uttered, hating how choked her words came out. “I happened to be at the…right place at the…right time. That is all. No need to thank me.”</p><p>“Now,” Lena wavered, averting her eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I have matters to attend to, and you mustn’t keep your <em>spouse</em> waiting,” she rushed.</p><p>Kara frowned, which seemed fair given Lena’s bitter tone. Not that Lena planned on being anything other than indifferent, but unfortunately her voice decided to fail her tonight.</p><p>“My…? Wait, no, ha ha, Alex isn’t my partner!” Kara full out chortled. “She’s my sister! Jamie is her daughter. Jamie’s my niece. I’m single. Single as a pringle, yup, that’s me,” she explained. The redness of her cheeks spread down to her neck. “You’re right that I shouldn’t keep Alex – my sister – waiting, though. I should probably stay, err, go. I should go!”</p><p>Laughter boomed in Lena’s ears; the sound utterly foreign yet familiar somehow at the same time. Her eyes flitted left and right, searching for its source, only to come up with none other than herself. Two things were certain. Number one; Lena had never been <em>that</em> thirsty in her life. And number two; to her own surprise, she wanted to see Kara again.</p><p>“But, erm…,” Kara said while she shifted her weight from one foot onto the other, “speaking of sisters and such…”</p><p>Lena pursed her lips to keep from smiling at the human’s obvious yet entirely surprising interest to learn more about her. She wasn’t much of a socializer, nor had her conversation held warmth. Mortals were generally keen on staying as far away from her as possible five seconds into interacting with her, preferably with the proverbial ten-foot pole. But no, this chipper, somehow endearing mortal, was unique.</p><p>“Yes?” Lena prompted with thinly veiled curiosity.</p><p>“Do you, ah,” Kara rushed out, eyes flitting around while pausing at Lena’s face every split second, “have a sister?”</p><p>Lena much doubted that was what the mortal wanted to know, which dissolved most of what was almost enthusiasm. “I should go to tend to urgent business,” she insisted with a rather harsh tone as she felt her bloodthirst grow, but when Kara’s face fell, Lena regretted it immediately. “I’d ask for your number before I leave because I have no doubt it’s the third loveliest thing you could say, but I’d rather hear about the second; your address.”</p><p>Kara twirled a lock of her hair and her smile returned faster than the sun could ever melt snow. “What’s the first?” she inquired, shyly meeting Lena’s eyes.</p><p>“Your name.”</p><p>“You haven’t heard me say yours yet,” Kara shot back, eyes dashing to her feet when Lena’s lips parted in surprise.</p><p>Lena wanted Kara to say it, but words failed her at the human’s intriguing bold spur of confidence.</p><p>“I live just around the corner of West and Park-Avenue, number thirteen,” Kara shared. “Feel free to stop by sometime…Lena.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena rocked back on her heels. Sweet-talking a mortal, what was she thinking? Kara was right, however; hearing her name stumble past Kara’s lips in a caress, was the loveliest thing the mortal could say. Lena’s head spun with the force of a million questions while the unique meeting replayed itself on repeat.</p><p>But each moment was fleeting, Lena reminded herself. Her thirst, however, was a permanent curse, and the fire she felt in her throat had her clawing at her neck. She wanted to go home and deal with it there, but each mortal she surpassed on her way there brought her closer to giving in to her primal urges.</p><p>Lena ducked into an alley, leaned against the brick wall, and shut her eyes. “What have you done to me, Kara?” she whispered, fangs aching as they forced her to succumb.</p><p>It took all of the willpower she had not to locate Kara right now or wait for her to come home at the address Lena should have never asked for in the first place, and get a taste. With a rough shake of her head, she grabbed the first unfortunate passerby she could get her hands on, pale hand covering the mortal's mouth to stop them from screaming. Not to avoid attention because Lena didn’t mind draining a few humans tonight, but to ensure her ears didn’t bleed.</p><p>Every sound had the possibility of being painful to a vampire, especially the loud ones. It physically hurt Lena when a mortal resorted to shouting; the closer up the worse. Aside from her ears suffering, it gave her an inhumane headache which lasted up to twenty-four hours or only twelve if she got lucky.</p><p>The human muffled words against Lena’s skin. Brown watery eyes widened. Lena didn’t believe in torturing her prey in their final moments. It was too cruel, even for her, and while she hadn’t meant to sink her teeth in anyone’s neck anymore, she couldn’t help herself.</p><p>Lena felt the mortal’s last sigh leave their lips as she drank the final droplets of their blood. A phone clattered to the ground, leaving a crack in the screen. Lena frowned and bent down to pick it up, wincing at the brightness of the screen. Damn mortals and their flashy electronics.</p><p>“What is this?” Lena hushed, opening an unread message. “I’m at Lee Wong’s,” she read silently, “don’t forget the inhaler for Dion, he’s having trouble breathing.”</p><p>The phone cracked under the force of Lena’s fingers until it was nothing but dust in the wind. A twinge of sorrow followed her as she got rid of the body, a harsh reminder that sometimes, she was a cold-blooded murderer.</p><p>The scent of human food almost made Lena vomit when she quietly wove through the crowd of the local Chinese’s place, although the woman behind the counter wasn’t half bad, for a mortal, with her tattoo-covered arms, crop top, and dimpled smile.</p><p>“Good night to me,” the woman spoke, winking at Lena. “What can I get you?” the human asked, notepad in hand.</p><p>Lena couldn’t care less about the flirting, although it was flattering, if not stupidly dangerous. “I’m not here to order,” she answered, placing a plastic bag atop the counter. “I have a delivery for Dion.”</p><p>“That’s not how this place works, beautiful.” The woman reached for the bag and peered into it. “Inhalers?” she questioned, but by the time she looked up, Lena had already vanished into thin air.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena sucked the air from between her teeth when she arrived at the large mansion where she resided. Faint whispers of vampires discussing their latest prey reached her ears. Sometimes all she wanted was to block it all out, but her kind didn’t have a choice when it came to heightened senses. Before she entered, she balled up the top Leslie gave her, tossed it behind a bush, and put on her button-less shirt.</p><p>
  <em>Much better. </em>
</p><p>One foot inside and Lena knew she should have spent the night out in the open instead.</p><p>“Auntie Lena, you smell good. Did you bring us a snack?” Piercing green eyes pleaded, purring like a kitten.</p><p>In those white dresses with their ebony hair tied back with a ribbon, complimented by their ivory skin; they could have fooled mortals, and even most immortals, to be anything but evil. Even their sweet honey voices painted them as angelic, but Lena knew better.</p><p>“Oh, please, tell us you did!” the other sang. “I’m starving!”</p><p>Lena gave Reign the most hateful glare she could muster. What Reign did was unforgivable, regardless of how much time passed, or how the twins didn’t appear to mind in the slightest. Immortal children were a mistake. While there was no explicit law forbidding vampires to turn a child, no immortal ever went there until Reign did.</p><p>It was selfish and plain stupid. Lena would have stopped Reign had she known in advance what that minx was up to. Immortal children forever depended on those around them, with an unhealthy attachment to their creators. If Reign ever ordered those false angels to fight one another until only one was left standing, Lena didn’t doubt for a second they would be at each other’s throat to appease their clan leader.</p><p>“Zara, Sarah, my angels,” Reign spoke, embracing the ten-year-olds, hugging them close to her body.</p><p>They were the youngest ever vampires to join their coven and without a shred of uncertainty the youngest immortals in the world. Reign used to laugh about the fact their last name was ‘<em>Young</em>,’ considering it ironic because they would be forever young.</p><p>“Demons,” Lena muttered under her breath, receiving a snide hiss from Reign.</p><p>It puzzled Lena why Reign had such a penchant for children. Love was supposed to be foregone once immortal and yet Reign would rather put her neck on the line than theirs. But Lena never asked, wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.</p><p>“Don’t be sour, Auntie Lena,” the familiar voice of the teenage vampire Reign turned a century ago taunted. It was the first sign of Reign going too far with her decisions. “Aren’t Sarah and Zara a delight?” the teenager poked on.</p><p>The rebel never referred to Lena as auntie unless she wanted to get under her skin. And it bloody well worked, too.</p><p>“Nia,” Lena acknowledged, eyebrow ticking up at the seventeen-year-old, clad in a black dress with matching boots that went all the way up to her knees, showing just a hint of the stockings she had on.</p><p>
  <em>Jail baiting mortals is perverse, go to your damn room. </em>
</p><p>Apparently, Reign’s mindset wasn’t any different. “No, na-ah,” she spoke as she vehemently shook her head. “Go change.”</p><p>“Like hell I will,” Nia scoffed, arms crossed. “I’m not some brainless follower, obeying your every command,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes at the twins, who in response smiled in a way that revealed their fangs while holding on to Reign like magnets.</p><p>Lena shuddered at the thought of humans twice Nia’s set age latching on to her, very much wanting to kill those before they could. In a strange way, this was Lena’s family, and she wished to protect all of them. Nia was old enough not to depend on her maker, though too naïve about the outside world.</p><p>First and foremost, Lena loathed this place. But Reign had wanted her, went through the trouble of taking her in, and despite the fact Reign might plunge a knife into Lena’s chest if she ever saw fit to do so, Reign had her back. Lena didn’t have to like Reign’s actions or agree to any of her methods, though Lena did have to live with them, and the recent development of Reign turning even younger mortals into vampires, unsettled Lena.</p><p>Ignoring whatever antics the fetus immortals had in store, Lena went up to her room where she could be alone at last, or so she thought.</p><p>Nia leaned against the frame of the door. “How do I look?” she queried, hands gripping a leather jacket she wasn’t wearing two seconds ago, glancing down at her scandalizing dress. “I bet the men will be all over me. Women, too, I guess.”</p><p>Lena whipped her head around with enough force to knock out a bull. “Stop it!” she snarled, nostrils flaring.</p><p>Nia chuckled and just like that, she was all up in Lena’s personal space. “Don’t be mad, babe,” Nia said, pecking Lena on the cheek, “I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”</p><p>Lena hated toying with those they killed. “You shouldn’t mingle with humans.”</p><p>“Then why do you reek of a child, a woman, and…” Nia sucked in a deep breath, eyes suddenly sparkling. “Leslie, so that’s where you’ve been all day.”</p><p>“I cannot beat the sun, but I can kick your ass, you brat.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m hereeee! And I’m soooo sorry I kept you waiting, but I had to get food for Mister Jingles. You know how crabby he can get when his food runs out, which is pretty much how I am when I miss a meal. So, I got his kibbles and then I was at the park where I ran into-”</p><p>“Kara!” Alex interrupted. “Breathe and sit down for dinner. Kelly cooked.”</p><p>“Oh, thank God,” Kara responded, holding a hand to her chest. Her mouth watered at the memories of the food Kelly put on the table before, minus the vegetables Kara begrudgingly had to digest.</p><p>Alex cleared her throat, foot tapping on the floor, hands on her hips.</p><p>“I mean…ah, not that your food isn’t great, but we did have to call the fire department a couple of times,” Kara explained under her sister’s scrutinizing gaze.</p><p>Alex gasped. “I was distracted!”</p><p>“I’m sure you were, babe,” Kelly said, planting a kiss on Alex’s cheek.</p><p>“Fine, I’m not the best chef,” Alex admitted, “which is why you complete me,” she smiled at her girlfriend.</p><p>“Aweeee, you guys!” Kara cooed when they kissed. “I want to hear all about your date!”</p><p>
  <em>I hope they took my suggestions. I didn’t babysit Jamie just because I love that kid. No, no…that’s definitely why. </em>
</p><p>Earlier today, Kara sent the love birds off with a coupon for potstickers, which was a major deal because it was her last one. The last! But she wasn’t the only one appreciative of finger-licking good cuisine. And to make her gesture all the grander, she told Alex they could get 40% off at Noonan’s just by mentioning her name, all because they knew Kara really well there because she used to work there for three years. Plus, she was a regular customer and a known fan of their sticky buns.</p><p>Last but not least, Kara told Alex and Kelly they could hang out with their parents. Maybe it didn’t sound that romantic, but that was what Kara’s ex used to do frequently, so it probably had some value. And there was always the fun ‘picture-time,’ where parents dug up old photo albums, although she knew her sister was reluctant to share anything about her punk-phase as a teenager with Kelly.</p><p>“All in due time,” Alex promised. “But first, I’m going to hug my daughter and smother her with kisses.”</p><p>Jamie giggled in Alex’s arms. “Om, om!” Jamie yelled, flinging her chubby little arms around her mother’s neck.</p><p>“Hey, baby,” Alex whispered, smiling down at her child. “Did you have a good day with Kara?”</p><p>“Aa!” Jamie cooed. “Ukkies.”</p><p>“You saw some ducks? Oh my, Kara didn’t feed them bread again, did she?”</p><p>“Not fair,” Kara pouted, huffing. “I didn’t know bread was bad for them,” she mumbled, loving animals more than people, so her sister knew she didn’t do any of that on purpose.</p><p>A shiver ran down Kara’s spine as she relived Jamie almost tumbling into the pond. Her niece could have drowned if it wasn’t for the beautiful stranger saving the day. Nature wasn’t helping, considering Jamie was able to run at fourteen months old, yet her speech stayed behind. The doctors Alex went to all assured her Jamie was simply a late talker, but Kara knew her sister worried all the same, as did she.</p><p>“Kawa,” Jamie uttered, making grabby hands at Kara.</p><p>“Oh, you want to spend more time with your auntie?” Alex said. “Did auntie Kiwi feed you a cookie again?”</p><p>“Stop calling me Kiwi,” Kara spluttered, eyes wide while Alex laughed. “And stop laughing, I don’t want her to call me that,” Kara insisted, mostly because she didn’t even like kiwis because she happened to be allergic to them.</p><p>One bite sufficed to make Kara’s throat swell up and made it difficult for her to breathe. In the worst case, which happened once back in third grade when some boy from her class brought a homemade cake to school, she lost consciousness and had to be rushed to the hospital. It was the reason why she carried an epinephrine pen with her in her purse, had a second one in her apartment, and a third in Alex’s in case of an emergency.</p><p>“I have to side with your sister on this one,” Kelly butted in, shaking her head at Alex.</p><p>“Wii,” Jamie clapped.</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “I h-word you,” she mumbled at her sister before turning to Jamie with the sweetest smile. “Hey, sweetiepie,” Kara cooed, “Do you love your mean mommy?”</p><p>“Okay, that’s enough,” Kelly spoke up when the Danvers sisters erupted in bickering. “Let’s sit down to eat, kids,” she ordered. “You too, apple of my eye,” she whispered at Jamie, caressing the toddler’s cheek.</p><p>Kara chuckled when it was Alex’s turn to pout. But their sisterly poking went out of the window completely once their plates were in front of their noses. Millet couscous with roasted carrots; not bad if only Kelly would put a layer of honey on them once in a while. On the other hand, free food was never bad, and Kara didn’t make all that much money.</p><p>She didn’t regret her choice though. Kara knew beforehand the paycheck was less than what waitressing gave her, but she sucked at etiquette and she finally had a job she really, really liked. Growing up, she wanted to become a vet or a scientist, but in the end, she went with neither. It didn’t stop her from bringing strays home though, much to her mother’s frustration.</p><p>“So, how was your date?” Kara asked, eyes shifting between Alex and Kelly.</p><p>Alex never missed an opportunity to gush about Kelly, especially when Kelly wasn’t around. Kara loved how happy her sister was to have found love again after Alex split with her ex, who didn’t want children. Alex used to be crushed, but then she adopted Jamie and met Kelly, and finally found the happiness she deserved all along.</p><p>Alex blushed. “Kelly took me skydiving, even though she’s not a fan of heights-”</p><p>“But some sacrifices are worth making,” Kelly shared.</p><p>“Definitely true, though I had no idea you could scream that loud. My ears are still ringing,” Alex replied, rubbing her ears.</p><p>“You were pretty loud yourself this morning in the shower, babe.”</p><p>“Um guys..,” Kara uttered, clearing her throat. “I’m still here and considerably less <em>‘happy’</em> single.”</p><p>
  <em>Does happy single count when I hate being single?</em>
</p><p>Alex lifted her fist to her mouth and coughed. “Imra’s single.”</p><p>“Imra’s my best friend,” Kara all but sputtered, gaping at her sister for even thinking about suggesting she go out with the woman she had known since she was three, when she was picking flowers in the schoolyard and Imra helped her complete her bouquet.</p><p>“I think we should dial it down a little,” Kelly said softly to Alex, rubbing her back.</p><p>“This is why you’re my favorite,” Kara moaned. “Alex, marry this woman.”</p><p>“Believe me, I’m trying,” Alex muttered, cheeks bright red when Kelly raised a brow at her.</p><p>“So, the date?” Kara prodded in a moment of pity.</p><p>It wasn’t the first time Kara told her sister to marry Kelly, although, on the other hand, Kara knew they had only been going out for two months.</p><p>“We went to Noonan’s-”</p><p>“Yesss,” Kara whispered, raising her fist and jerking her arm down. “You took my suggestion.”</p><p>“Anyway,” Alex went on. “I ordered blueberry pancakes when Kelly went to the bathroom and when she came back I almost fed her a bite of them!”</p><p>“God, she did,” Kelly nodded.</p><p>“Which is bad because she’s allergic,” Alex continued, “and almost killing her is not exactly romantic.”</p><p>“All that matters to me is the gesture, Al. And we did enjoy that slice of chocolate pie.”</p><p>Kara felt drool fill up her mouth. She pictured herself eating chocolate, so much she could almost taste it, and yet…</p><p>“Mhmm,” Alex hummed, facing her girlfriend. “I particularly enjoyed the smudge of chocolate you had on the corner of your mouth afterward.”</p><p>Kelly let out an airy chuckle. “I knew you would be corny and use it as an excuse to run the pad of your thumb across my lips before kissing me.”</p><p>“Corny?” Alex repeated. “You think I’m corny? It was your idea to share, and that, babe, is about as corny as a date can get.”</p><p>“The waitress only brought one spoon.”</p><p>“Uhuh, very convenient,” Alex chuckled.</p><p>Kara sank into her own world for a while, letting the couple bestow each other with heart-eyes while discussing which one of them was the cheesiest when the only correct answer was both of them were hopelessly in love.</p><p>“So, I kind of met someone today,” Kara threaded carefully after a prolonged silence, fork poking around the carrots on her plate. With some luck, they wouldn’t comment on her not touching her vegetables again. “I should have asked for her number but instead I gave her my address? I don’t even know if and when she’ll visit me. She’s pretty. Like, where have you been all my life kind of pretty. And she smiled…at me. Flirted…with me!”</p><p>“You sound surprised,” Kelly noted. “Why is that?”</p><p>“I, well, um, she was all composed and confident, and I was blabbering about my cat. I mentioned Alex and she thought Alex was my spouse!” Kara relayed, guffawing. “I appear far too chaotic to manage to tie someone down anyway, so that was a funny moment. She sounded frustrated or something, but I don’t know why. I told her I’m single though. I might have even said I’m single as a pringle, but that’s not accurate because those come in a pack.”</p><p>“Kara,” Kelly spoke, covering her hand with hers. “What your ex said holds no correlation to who you are and in no way should reflect how you put yourself out there.”</p><p>
  <em>How does she keep doing this?</em>
</p><p>Kara’s ex did say some nasty things, but all of that was in the past. She wasn’t aware it impacted her self-esteem, though she was ready to move on and be open to new love. And if no romance blossomed, then she hoped friendship would. Lena’s reflexes were impressive, which made Kara look forward to introducing her to her hobby where good hand-eye coordination was a must.</p><p>“Her name is Lena,” Kara hummed, smiling with newfound confidence. “I hope she visits soon. I can’t wait to introduce her to Mister Jingles!”</p><p>“You gave…your address…to a woman you just met?” Alex queried. “Instead of your phone number?”</p><p>“Um, yes,” Kara answered, fidgeting with a lock of her hair. “She asked. She said it was the second loveliest thing I could say…”</p><p>“What was the first?”</p><p>“My name,” Kara shared, blushing at the memory.</p><p>“Oh for fu-” Alex glanced at her daughter, who was in the middle of mushing her spaghetti with her fists. “Forks sake,” Alex sighed, “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with you. But I do know what I’ll do to that Lena character if she ever hurts you. I have a black belt for a reason. I’ll-”</p><p>“Al,” Kelly urged, “breathe.”</p><p>“She made me feel seen,” Kara spoke, shrugging a shoulder. “And if she wants to see my apartment to see more of me, I’m okay with that.”</p><p>Realizing what she just spit out, Kara stuffed her mouth with carrots and moaned about how yummy the food was. Meanwhile, Kelly laughed and Alex gaped as if she saw a ghost pass through Kara. Maybe it was too blunt, but it was about as honest as Kara could get, without being too graphic. And it wasn’t like she planned on letting Lena in and have sex with her on the first date. Flings and one-night stands weren’t Kara’s thing, so Alex had nothing to worry about.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Honey, I’m homeeee,” Kara sang, dropping her bags at the door, along with her shoes. “Where is my sweet Mister Jingles? Mommy’s got a surprise for you.”</p><p>Mister Jingles – barely bigger than a kitten, with a white fluffy fur, three legs, and a missing ear – ran toward Kara at the sound of her voice. He stumbled to the right side a few times, where his right leg was amputated due to an infection he couldn’t recover from, despite the vet’s best efforts. His tail was upright, swinging back and forth.</p><p>“Did you miss me too, baby?” Kara cooed, crouching down to give her pet all of her love through a hug and a kiss on the top of his head, where his left ear used to be.</p><p>Mister Jingles meowed and pawed at Kara’s bags.</p><p>“Yes, I remembered to buy you more food,” Kara talked animatedly while she began emptying the contents of her bags. “And I also got you some clothes for our next video.”</p><p>With one hand, Kara unlocked her phone to check her notifications on Instagram. People all over the world adored Mister Jingles. Kara used to get tons of requests if her kitty was up for adoption, which was sweet, but he was her baby, so instead she encouraged people to go to their nearest shelter to adopt a fur baby there.</p><p>Before Kara took Mister Jingles into her home, he was dropped off at a shelter with a high kill-rate, but thanks to a friend she managed to save him in the nick of time. Mister Jingles enjoyed belly rubs and crawling under Kara’s hoodies to sleep. They were two peas in a pod; best buds for life.</p><p>As if he tried to say <em>‘yes, we are,’</em> Mister Jingles meowed and butted his head against Kara’s leg.</p><p>Once Mister Spoiled Kitty mastered the arts of getting food all over the kitchen floor, Kara cleaned up after him, helped him into his new outfit, and grabbed her camera. Mister Jingles never protested to Kara dressing him up, purring instead. It wasn’t for every cat, but hers adored it, and Kara loved it, especially on the rare occasion she found matching clothes, like the time Mister Jingles was Stitch and she was Lilo.</p><p>“Hiya, people,” Kara greeted with a sunny, genuine smile. “No live this time because I know a bunch of you are sleeping,” she explained to the camera. “So just this quick video to show you all Mister Jingles in his new little Toothless getup,” she said as she picked up her cat to bring him closer to the lens. “Doesn’t he look dinomite?”</p><p>Mister Jingles licked Kara’s fingers and playfully bit her.</p><p>“You’re not so toothless yourself though,” Kara chuckled, putting her cat down. “Okay, people, Mister Jingles and I wish you all a good night, and we will be doing a live soon. Bye, meow.”</p><p>With that, Kara ended the video and posted it to Mister Jingles’ Instagram story.</p><p>“Well done, Jingly Jigglypuff,” Kara cooed, rewarding Mister Jingles with a snack. “Mommy’s going to put her pajamas on and then we can watch a movie together, what do you think?”</p><p>Mister Jingles’ ears perked up. When Kara went to the bathroom, he ran after her, stumbling in his habit of needing to be in the same room as her, lest Kara wanted to put up with his insistent loud complaints. Her sweet kitty used to wake everyone in the building up the first week she got him, whenever she left the apartment. Thankfully, he stopped doing that, but when she was home there was no way he was giving her any privacy.</p><p>When Kara took a bath, Mister Jingles leaned his front paws on the edge, peering at the water. And when Kara needed to go to the toilet, he would sit there and stare her down. It took her some getting used to; it still did. Tonight, as she changed into something comfortable, Mister Jingles somehow managed to pull her hamper down and rolled around in her laundry.</p><p>“Mister Jingles, no,” Kara groaned, grateful it at least wasn’t her clean laundry this time. “That does it. We’re not watching Cats &amp; Dogs tonight.”</p><p>Two hours later Kara watched as the credits of Cats &amp; Dogs rolled down the screen.</p><p>“Don’t look so smug,” Kara whispered to her cat, who sat next to her, licking his paws.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>There was a reason people generally didn’t jump into the shower right away without checking the temperature of the water. But it was eight in the morning and Kara had to work at nine. The first cold touch had her shrieking at the top of her lungs. Good, that ought to wake up her neighbors in case they overslept.</p><p>Mister Jingles cocked his head to the left, eyes on Kara.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Kara gasped, turning the knob to aim at lukewarm water. “You can stop spying on me now. Go eat your kibble.”</p><p>As always, Mister Jingles stayed put until Kara hopped out of the shower, got dressed, and padded toward the kitchen.</p><p>“A promise is a promise,” Kara sighed, glancing at the clock on the wall, indicating she really had to leave in ten minutes. “Smile for the gram, Mister Jingles!” Kara cheered as she went live with her cat on his Instagram account. “Your followers love you!”</p><p>Within seconds, thousands of people overflowed Mister Jingles with comments and hearts. The latter always made Kara smile while the former gave her a headache because she couldn’t read fast enough to get them all. Kara wrapped up the live after seven minutes, apologizing profusely she didn’t have more time to spare, but life kept moving and so had she. </p><p>On her way to work, Kara picked up two drinks at Noonan’s; one pumpkin spice latte with extra foam, sprinkled with cinnamon – which was her personal go-to drink – and an iced Chai Tea latte for her lovely colleague and friend.</p><p>“I’m here, I’m here!” Kara called out while she all but ran inside, just one minute before nine.</p><p>
  <em>I should have gotten an extra sticky bun. </em>
</p><p>“Hi, Kara, you’re just in time to help me out,” Eve replied, emerging with a smile. “Thank you,” she hummed, accepting her drink, “I was craving one of these.”</p><p>Kara returned the smile with one of her own. “I know Noonan’s is not on your way here and it’s no trouble,” she said, shrugging a shoulder. She took a sip from her latte, smacking her lips. “So, what do you need help with?”</p><p>“Someone brought in bottle babies, found by the side of the road in a box.”</p><p>Kara put her drink down, all seriousness. It broke her heart every time someone ditched kittens or puppies at a random location, rather than bring them to the shelter directly. Not that it was any less painful when the abandoned pets were older. But to leave animals near a road was cruel because they got run over unless a gentle soul took notice of their distress.</p><p>Sometimes, in short outbursts of anger, Kara hoped karma would get the assholes not worthy of having pets and give them a piece of their own dough.</p><p>Kara cleared her throat. There were more pressing matters than wishing animal haters to rot in hell. “Did you contact any foster families yet?” she queried, following Eve to the back room where they kept all of the cats and dogs that weren’t ready to be adopted yet.</p><p>“I’ve decided to take them home with me after my shift and foster them myself,” Eve answered, opening a large cage where three tiny kittens mewed their ears off.</p><p>“Really?” Kara frowned, scratching the back of her neck. “Do you think Bowie will be okay with that?”</p><p>Bowie was Eve’s Boxer and his most outstanding feature was his ability to sleep anywhere and snore loud enough to cut a tree in half.  </p><p>“Oh, absolutely,” Eve responded, fetching three small bottles. “Sometimes I catch him out in the garden, napping with my neighbor’s cat. He’s a mushy guy.”</p><p>“Awe, that’s so sweet,” Kara smiled. “And your wife?  Do you think she’ll be on board with your decision?”</p><p>“I texted Andrea right before you came in,” Eve answered, humming, taking one of the kittens and handing the smol baby over. “She’s probably at the pet store as we speak; getting everything these little munchkins need to be comfortable.”</p><p>“I can see why you married her,” Kara replied, gently holding the tiny kitten. The fact their eyes were still closed tugged at her heartstrings. “I’ll be expecting photos, by the way.”</p><p>“Of my wife?” Eve spoke, feigning a gasp. “Not that I don’t love showing off how lucky I am to have such a femme fatale in my life, but there are boundaries, Kara.”</p><p>“She is attractive,” Kara admitted with a nod. “But, err, maybe we should focus on these kittens, they sound like they’re starving.”</p><p>Kara’s thoughts drifted off toward her encounter with Lena last night at the park, but Kara quickly pulled herself back to the present and the small animal wriggling in her arms. In no time, she had the kitten suckling the bottle, greedily drinking its milk. Meanwhile, Eve maneuvered to feed the other two.</p><p>Through her eyes, Kara couldn’t see anything wrong with the kittens, aside from the fact they were somewhat malnourished. But only a full checkup and the guarantee they would be fine could make Kara breathe again.</p><p>After the little ones were fed, Kara spoke to a couple looking to adopt a dog. She vetted them thoroughly, explaining the responsibility it required to take care of an animal because nothing made her see red more than people returning pets to trade them for a younger one or one they found ‘prettier.’</p><p>“Okay, Pepper,” Kara clapped her hands near the end of her shift. “Time for your walk, boy,” she told the Beagle, which was brought to the shelter a few months ago.</p><p>Why nobody had adopted him yet left Kara baffled. If her apartment and her cat permitted her to, she would personally list as Pepper’s best friend for life. Kara swore on her life no dog deserved a home more than him, although every pet was very much worthy of a loving nest. Pepper was a perfect boy. So what if he only had one eye?</p><p>“I love you,” Kara cooed, putting on his leash, smiling when Pepper wagged his tail. “Let’s show people what a good boy you are,” she said with determination, passing by potential adopters Eve was in the middle of showing around.</p><p>Pepper, dapper as he was, walked next to Kara, following her pace, not once tugging or rushing forward.</p><p>
  <em>I wish I could take every homeless animal home with me.</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“You’re late, little Danvers.”</p><p>Kara ran out onto the mat, her basic jeans and flower-patterned blouse swapped for leggings and an old faded shirt. “I know, I know,” she sighed, half out of breath already, which was not a good way to start working out.</p><p>She knew Imra only had the gym empty during very specific laid out time frames, whenever she wasn’t training a group and after her colleagues left the premises. The one on one sessions with her best friend helped Kara to let out all negative emotions, which was particularly useful after her last relationship slammed against the rocks. Plus, it was free and self-defense was never a bad thing.</p><p>“Put on a pair of gloves,” Imra instructed, bobbing her head toward a whole collection of them, in a box on the floor.</p><p>One of these days, Kara had to buy her own, but she kept forgetting. Time raced by and if she thought about it, twenty-four hours in a day really wasn’t all that much. Whenever she wasn’t working, she was spending time with her cat, babysitting her niece, hanging out with her sister or her friends, or boxing. It was surprising she met someone, leading such a busy life, although so far she wasn’t sure if Lena planned on visiting her.</p><p>
  <em>It has only been twenty-five hours since you met her, breathe.</em>
</p><p>“Kara,” Imra said, eying her friend. “Gloves?”</p><p>“Oh, right,” Kara replied, willing her legs to move and stop wasting time.</p><p>Kara picked out a pair, ignoring the icky feeling as she put them on. They were clammy, but she couldn’t complain when it cost her nothing, and some extra soap when she hopped into the shower later tonight would fix that.</p><p>Imra’s gloved right hand came up to rest against Kara’s chest. “Mind telling me where your head is?” Imra questioned, tilting her head to the side, following Kara’s line of sight.</p><p>“Can’t I tell you after?” Kara suggested, chewing her lip. “Over a glass of club soda?”</p><p>“Your sister might try to kick my ass if you end up with a black eye again.”</p><p>“That was one time and it was my fault,” Kara recalled, swallowing because her being distracted was exactly Imra’s point and she knew it. Kara had to keep her head in the game. “I think I met someone. I mean, I did. I met someone. Last night at the park when Jamie, err, got away from me for a little bit.”</p><p>“Ah, the good old butterflies,” Imra mused with a chuckle. “What’s their name?”</p><p>Kara wondered if something was wrong with the temperature of the gym. Her face felt a little heated and her hands began to sweat. “Her name is Lena,” she answered with a soft sigh, exhaling a smile. “She’s so pretty I might have…you know,” she murmured, cheeks red.</p><p>“There’s nothing wrong with pleasuring yourself,” Imra responded, holding up her hands with a nod. “It’s healthy and can make you feel good.”</p><p>Kara had known Imra for the better part of twenty-three years, but she still died a little on the inside every time <em>that</em> topic surfaced. Of course it was natural and nothing to be ashamed of, technically speaking. But deep down Kara was shy and struggled to crawl out of her shell, which often led her to trip over her words or ramble a bunch of them out.</p><p>Raising her fists, Kara started pounding against Imra’s. The adrenaline rush coursing through Kara’s body spurred her on to punch harder. Boxing felt <em>amazing</em>. Not as great as an orgasm, although compared to her ex this was way better.</p><p>“Jab left, hook right,” Imra instructed, eyes shifting between Kara’s face, her fists, and her feet. “Keep your face covered,” Imra pointed out, moving two spaces toward Kara.</p><p>Kara followed her best friend, skipping two steps back. She lifted her right hand, placing it underneath her eye while she lashed out with her left fist.</p><p>“Widen your stance, Kara,” Imra said, kneeling down to tap Kara on the left ankle, which was closest to Imra. “I want to see you spread those legs,” she poked out her tongue, ducking when Kara swung at her head.</p><p>“Jerk face,” Kara laughed. “And to think I wanted to invite you over for take-out.”</p><p>“My body is a temple unless…,” Imra trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows before they shouted, “pizza!” at the same time.</p><p>“You know the way to my heart, Kara,” Imra sighed, fluttering her eyelashes in an overly dramatic way.</p><p>“Alex seems to think so, too,” Kara mentioned, still in shock her sister suggested she date her best friend in the entire universe.</p><p>“Alex doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” Imra replied, dropping her gloves, grabbing a bottle of water. “I’m obviously too kinky for you,” she winked, taking a swig.</p><p>Kara clamped her gloved hands over her ears, really, really, really not needing to hear about Imra’s preferences for the umpteenth time when it was scarring enough the first time around. The whole being into biting was something Kara managed to comprehend because it was semi-innocent, but the bondage and the whip? Now that was a bridge too far for her taste.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I knew you’d come,” Kara whispered, her lips but a breath apart from Lena’s. “B-but, I still…,” Kara swallowed as their hands found one another in the dark, beneath the sheets, “I can’t believe you’re here.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Why wouldn’t I?” Lena replied, brushing Kara’s nose with hers. “Do you believe in fate, Kara?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I, um, maybe? Yes, possibly? Do you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kara wasn’t certain if there was such a thing as destiny, except for when good things happened. She wished to be a believer though, to feel soulmates could truly exist, but maybe it all depended on dumb luck. Hearing Lena whisper about fate made the butterflies in Kara’s stomach flutter all at once. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena hummed, the sound warm and harmonious. “We ran into each other. That can’t be a coincidence,” she answered, running her tongue across her lips, antagonizing slow. “I’m going to kiss you now.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Please,” Kara whimpered, bringing her body closer to Lena’s, yearning for her touch. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was what Kara wanted; to be kissed by Lena and feel her hands roam all over her body. Kara moaned into it, parting her lips, blessed when their kiss deepened. She gasped, the sound muffled by Lena’s talented mouth, as Lena flipped Kara onto her back and wedged a knee between her legs, pressing against her heat. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kara, feverish with desire, slipped her hands under Lena’s shirt, inching up higher to cop a feel. And, God, everything about the intimacy between them was soft and rough at the same time. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We don’t have to keep our clothes on,” Lena hushed, lips touching the shell of Kara’s ear, followed by the tip of her tongue. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In a rush of passion, Kara undressed herself, underwear already soaked. She laid herself bare for Lena to see, to drink in. Even in the dark, there was no mistaking the way Lena’s eyes swept down Kara’s body, taking notice of every inch. And soon enough, Lena’s clothes met Kara’s on the floor. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena spread Kara’s legs with her hands. “Are you ready?” Lena asked, settling between them like a Cheshire cat with a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Because I am,” she said, voice husky and low. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Y-yes,” Kara answered, legs twitching when Lena’s lips kissed a path from her knee to her inner thigh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena’s fingertips traced Kara’s skin, dancing toward her throbbing clit. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kara shot upright, panting. She looked around, groaning because she got all worked up over a dream. Heat coiled low in her belly, so she shuffled out of her bed, toward the bathroom to cool herself down with a cold shower. But she couldn’t get Lena out of her thoughts; pale and beautiful and – wait, was Lena barefooted at the park?</p><p>Kara’s curiosity to get to know Lena increased, the mysterious stranger who turned Kara’s insides into goo and entered her dreams.</p><p>
  <em>Please, please, please visit me. </em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Interactions between Kara and Lena are coming up soon. <br/>I'll post the next chapter in a few days. </p><p>What do you think of Mister Jingles and of Dansen? :-)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m crazy for loving her, aren’t I?”</p><p>All Lucy wanted was a sister. Alas, Lena cared little for Lucy’s company, regardless of her attempts to thaw Lena’s heart. On the outside, the resemblance between them was uncanny; with the only difference being Lucy had blonde locks and slightly longer hair whereas Lena’s was dark. Reign called them twins once. One time; which was all it took for Lena to snap and ensure nobody ever insinuated such a thing ever again.</p><p>“Yeah, maybe you are, kid, but that’s why I like you.”</p><p>“I reached maturity centuries ago, Lesleanna,” Lucy pointed out to her confidant, the only one willing to listen to her without being too snarky.</p><p>“Don’t full-name me like that,” Leslie cringed, making a face.</p><p>
  <em>Why hide such a delightful name? </em>
</p><p>“And, I know,” Leslie admitted with a sigh. “But you’ll be twenty forever.”</p><p>Lucy averted her eyes to hide the solemn look in them. Age mattered little to immortals, but to humans, she would forever be thought of as too young to enter certain places. “May I drink?” she inquired, rubbing her sore throat, feeling it burn the more blood crossed her mind. “I am rather thirsty.”</p><p>Leslie snorted. “Me too,” she hummed. “For juice.”</p><p>The oddity of Leslie’s behavior was utterly incomprehensible to Lucy, though not foreign. Leslie was unlike any other mortal. Sarcastic in nature, yet tender as satin when she wanted to be.</p><p>Leslie shifted her weight from one leg onto the other. “Look, Lu…,” she began, rubbing her right arm with her left hand of which three fingers were bandaged. “I, ah…you…”</p><p>Lucy approached with a tilt of her head. “Yes?”</p><p>“Fuck, you smell good,” Leslie mumbled under her breath, and if Lucy weren’t a vampire, those words would have been intangible.</p><p>“It’s my new perfume,” Lucy beamed, eyes twinkling while she moved ever so close. She grasped her hair and swung it loosely over her shoulder. “Do you like it?” she inquired, baring her neck to Leslie’s nose.</p><p>Leslie jerked back with such power she groaned aloud when her back slammed into the table behind her.</p><p>“Oh, dear!” Lucy exclaimed, hands on Leslie’s elbows in an instant. “Are you-”</p><p>“’M fine,” Leslie grumbled, pushing at Lucy’s hands. “Don’t..,” Leslie said, grinding her teeth together. “Fuck, don’t startle me like that, ‘kay?” she sighed, running a hand through her hair.</p><p>Lucy felt a flood of desire to drink Leslie’s blood. Her veins had fallen victim to an open flame, scorching Lucy alive without any visible trace of damage, although nothing could make her hurt a human or drink without permission. And their closeness became too much too soon.</p><p>“Leslie,” Lucy croaked, dropping to her knees when the pain intensified. “I…,” she gasped, nails clawing at her throat.</p><p>“Fuck, hold on, Luce,” Leslie replied, rummaging about. “You’re gonna be okay, I got you. When did you last feed?”</p><p>“Wait, don’t answer that,” Leslie added before Lucy could.</p><p>“Comin’ in ‘ere like this,” Leslie muttered on in a whisper, tossing useless objects to the floor, such as a crowbar and a purple genitalia-shaped device that was similar to the thicker pink one Reign kept in her chambers. “Fainting from thirst,” Leslie grumbled.</p><p>Despite the genuine excruciating pain she was in, Lucy smiled at Leslie’s grumpiness, which Nia had compared to a dwarf for some strange reason. On a less pleasant note, Lucy did not faint as it was impossible for a vampire; such an overreaction was entirely theatrical, even for Leslie.</p><p>“I got you, Luce,” Leslie whispered, fingertips trailing down Lucy’s cheek, eyes flitting down to her lips. “I-” Leslie swallowed and tore her gaze away.</p><p>“Yes?” Lucy urged, searching.</p><p>Leslie sucked in a breath. “Please don’t hate me for doing this,” she replied, placing the palm of her right hand on Lucy’s jaw. Leslie leaned in, pressing her warm lips against Lucy’s cold ones; just a light brush, a tender one.</p><p>Lucy didn’t move when Leslie pulled back, afraid she might lose control and harm her friend. Having felt the heat of a human on her lips made Lucy’s skin tingle. A kiss was much more intimate than feeding, and she felt the crushing urge to bite Leslie’s lip for a taste, but Lucy dared not ask.</p><p>“What have you done?” Lucy asked, relaxing her tense shoulders.</p><p>“Luce,-”</p><p>“To yourself,” Lucy uttered, grasping Leslie’s arm, tracing the veins pulsating under her skin.</p><p>Leslie tugged her arm free. “I have some blood in the fridge. I’m sorry, Luce. Mine probably isn’t any good.”</p><p>“May I try?”</p><p>Drugs did nothing to immortals other than altering the taste of the blood. It wasn’t the purest or the most desired to drink, but at least it would be warm, unlike blood from the refrigerator, which was tough to swallow.</p><p>“Uh, yeah, sure,” Leslie answered as a deep frown settled on her face. “Do you want my wrist or my neck or…?”</p><p>Lucy fisted Leslie’s shirt and with one swift tug, the mortal was in her lap. Singing a lullaby of her past, Lucy caressed Leslie’s cheek, mind-boggled by the tender kiss she received not long ago. Leslie’s heartbeat was all over the place and the way she breathed unevenly gave away she had an injury below the surface, too. Lucy worried about this human, for the mental and physical state of her.</p><p>“You know,” Leslie spoke, smacking her lips. “If a vampire had some sort of extra powers, yours would be super politeness, impeccable self-control, and humanity because I for sure thought you were going to kiss me.”</p><p>“If I may,” Lucy sufficed, despite the established permission she was allowed a drink.</p><p>“Yes, absolutely. And just a head’s up for the future, for you it’ll always be yes. I’m sorry you had to find out I started using again. I never meant to disappoint. I can take letting everyone else down, even Lena. But not you, never you.”</p><p>Lucy held Leslie’s face in her hands, calculating every fraction of the moves she made as she connected their lips. Starting out slow, Lucy broke the surface of Leslie’s bottom lip with her teeth, shivering at the first droplet of blood. The combination of the kiss and the bite felt so good, it was hard for Lucy to stop, but her insistence of presenting herself with unwavering self-control came through.</p><p>Leslie wound her arms around Lucy’s neck. “Can I ask you something, Luce?”</p><p>Lucy responded with a nod, a little dizzy of the fresh experience which was now her favorite.</p><p>“I like you. Do I stand a chance with you or am I just crazy for thinking there’s something more between us than friendship?”</p><p>Lucy grasped a lock of Leslie’s hair, twirling the tip around her finger while she thought the question over. Leslie wasn’t the first human close to Lucy’s heart, though Mina hadn’t loved her. In the past, it was frowned upon for Lucy to express feelings toward a woman rather than a man. As time went on, people evolved to a point vampires already had. Lucy never had to hide among her own kind, not unless it involved matters of the heart.</p><p>“Okay, can you say yes or no cuz your silence is unnerving,” Leslie chuckled. “And if you don’t know, then tell me.”</p><p>Lucy placed her thumb and her index finger under Leslie’s chin, pressing her lips to the corner of her mouth while she splayed her other hand against Leslie’s chest. Lucy felt Leslie’s heartbeat drumming against her palm and as they met in a kiss, Lucy found peace and the tranquility of a home she thought only existed in her dreams.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Lena should have known Reign was in a mood after Nia left to go clubbing in a checkered black and grey skirt that barely covered her ass and a black top. The girl was a rebel, despite Reign and Lena’s joint efforts to set her straight. Not that Nia needed protection or risked exposing what she was, but it still felt wrong.</p><p>“You still care about that mortal, don’t you?” Reign accused with a bittersweet scoff. “It’s been, how long, a decade and a half?”</p><p>“Fourteen years,” Lena corrected, having met Leslie as a teenage runaway, a fact she wished Reign didn’t know about.</p><p>“Huh, and you visit her still,” Reign continued with a disapproving snarl. “You should deal with that loose tie, or-”</p><p>Lena’s nostrils flared. The floorboards came loose as she sped toward Reign at a speed only visible to vampires. “Or what?” Lena growled. Her elbows were bowed at her sides, fingers halfway curled, ready to pounce.</p><p>
  <em>Say that again and I will destroy your world, you twisted bitch. </em>
</p><p>Reign was free to spout disagreements, but actually threatening someone from Lena’s inner circle was asking for trouble. Leslie was no such thing as a loose end or else Lena would have killed her off long ago. Reign simply didn’t appreciate a decent connection with a mortal the way Lena did, for which it wasn’t Leslie’s place to pay the price.</p><p>“Your attachment makes you weak.”</p><p>“I am not the only one with on the go blood supplies,” Lena pointed out, concealing the urge to bare her teeth.</p><p>“Mine never live longer than a year or two,” Reign replied calmly, smirking at Lena’s palpable rage. “You should bring your pet over some time,” Reign suggested as if it was the most natural thing in the world for vampires to invite a human in.</p><p>
  <em>She is not my pet. Thin-fucking-ice. </em>
</p><p>“I bet that pathetic human loves you the way a spouse would.”</p><p>Lena knew that wasn’t true. If anything, Leslie was brutally honest with her blunt, sarcastic attitude, and there was no way the fourteen-year-old mortal who had grown into a snarky twenty-eight-year-old drug addict, loved Lena beyond an unsteady friendship. No, Leslie carried her heart on her sleeve, and never wanted more from Lena than getting off now and then.</p><p>Besides, it would be a cold day in hell before Lena would agree for a mortal to enter the lion’s den. Any human dumb enough to set foot in here willingly voluntarily agreed to a suicide mission, and not even Leslie was that big of an idiot.</p><p>“Meddle in my life again and I will meddle in yours,” Lena snarled, sparing the twins a snide-glare, nodding at Reign because she fucking would if that cunt touched someone who was under her protection.</p><p>Reign balled her fists and put them through the wall. “Sarah, Zara!” she sneered, brushing the debris off her skin. “We’re going out to hunt,” she decided, pulling at the ends of the black cape she had on until the twins shuffled underneath.</p><p>Lena pondered if it was possible for a maker to be just as attached to immortal children as those demons were to the one that turned them. Yet, something didn’t add up; Reign had wanted them before she made the rash decision to add the twins to her family, and thirst didn’t appear to be a factor at all.</p><p>“Nobody gets to lay a finger on my children!” Reign bristled at the other vampires that roamed around her mansion. “Shall we, my precious angels?” she queried softly, smiling down at the girls.</p><p>“Yes, mother,” Sarah and Zara replied in unison, smiling right back at Reign.</p><p>Lena resisted the urge to gag. With Reign and the creepy doll twins gone, and Nia not around to taunt Lena, she went up to her room to admire her music collection. She had an original Thomas Edison record player, which she stole back in 1879, though that one was purely for decoration purposes. Aside from her records, she owned cassettes and a handful of cd’s.</p><p>There was a bed in the center of her room, which Lena never used to sleep, considering vampires were always awake. It was there for occasional meaningless sex encounters or whenever she wanted to read a book and sit down. The only light came from a lamp, for there was no window. Only rookie vampires boarded up windows, thinking it would offer them continued protection from the sun.</p><p>Lena selected something from Bach when familiar footsteps caught up to her. Having sensitive ears wasn’t all bad, for she could distinct sounds from one another to the point where she could recognize specific ones, even in crowded spaces.</p><p>“Lucy,” Lena said right before she whipped her head around. “You mustn’t sneak up on me.”</p><p>“Can’t I surprise my niece?”</p><p>They were long past such trivial things. “You bit me. Hard,” Lena pointed out, so that was a definite no.</p><p>“That happened a long time ago,” Lucy sighed, shoulders sagging. “Will you ever forgive me?” she whispered, batting her eyelashes like a deer caught in headlights.</p><p>Lena touched the faint crescent mark near her collarbone, visible through special eyes only. “What do you want?” she grumbled, not letting Lucy wrap her around her finger the way she did most people.</p><p>Lucy held out a comb. “Please, sister.”</p><p>Lena bit her tongue to withhold a venomous response. No vampire was more affectionate than Lucy, her dear niece who yearned for fragments of anything resembling love. It was pathetic, though no two vampires were the same, and at least Lucy wasn’t a child collector.</p><p>“You should have asked Reign,” Lena commented, knowing Reign brushed Sarah and Zara’s hair all the time and was unlikely to be bothered by the request.</p><p>“She is out hunting with the children.”</p><p>Convenient timing on Lucy’s part. “Then why are you still here?” Lena prodded, glancing at Lucy’s bare feet which were covered in dirt.</p><p>Vampires sure weren’t a fan of shoes, except for Nia, who said they were essential to complete her outfit. Lucy was the exact opposite; she didn’t even own any. Lena, on the other hand, did have a pair of sneakers and high heels, although they were covered in a layer of dust.</p><p>Lucy stuck out her tongue. “Lesleanna teases me about my set age, too.”</p><p>Lena frowned. “You went to see Leslie?” she checked, and seriously, not this nonsense again. She made a strong point of letting others know how she felt about them visiting that human.</p><p>Lucy hummed, running her slender fingers through her long blonde locks.</p><p>“You mustn’t visit her. She is not your source. Find your own.”</p><p>“Why are you cross with me, sister?”</p><p>Lena averted her eyes. That was a tall order and she dealt with enough arguments for one night. “What happened when you went to see Leslie?”</p><p>Lucy dropped her hand. “She apologized for her addiction. Why must you berate her?”</p><p>“Don’t alter the point of our conversation. I have neither the patience nor the interest to humor a distraction.”</p><p>But as always, Lucy wasn’t done talking. “You cannot force your hand in the battle against her demons,” she replied with more venom in her voice than Lena anticipated to ever coming out of her mouth.</p><p>Okay, they were doing this then. Fine, Lena could bite. If Lucy wanted an argument so badly, she could bloody well get one. Lena was through with people getting under her skin tonight, unleashing their frustration onto her as if Lena was supposed to swallow it all.</p><p>“I damn well will if it means I can save her from herself!” Lena bit out. Leslie struggled, a lot, many times, and Lena wasn’t going to stand by and do nothing.</p><p>“This utopian attitude of yours where you believe to know wrong from right better than anyone is delusional. Lesleanna has to face her monsters without you adding more to the turmoil in her head.”</p><p>“Since when do you think you know her better than I do, Luce? I’ve kept her alive for the past fourteen years, haven’t I?”</p><p>“By a thread,” Lucy mumbled, eyes narrowed.</p><p>
  <em>What is up with her today? This isn’t the tree-hugging Luce I know.</em>
</p><p>“Fuck off, cunt,” Lena spat, enraged by the accusations when she personally fed and clothed Leslie for years when nobody else did. “Changing the topic is one thing, but how dare you come for my throat? What makes you think you have any more right to speak for her than I do? Hypocrite.”</p><p>Lucy took a step back, jaw ajar. “I care for her,” she uttered, eyes softening.</p><p>“News-fuckin-flash, so do I!”</p><p>Silence fell around them, engulfing them both. Lena felt her anger course through her veins, unleashing a maddening urge to bring out the worst in her. If Lucy was human, Lena would have drained her by now, that was how dangerous she became when she saw red. She could attack in a battle to the death, the permanent kind, but Lena never wished to fight Lucy. In the end, that laughable excuse of a vampire, who approached Lena to comb her hair, was family. And in a way, Lena almost loved her.</p><p>Lucy sat down on Lena’s bed, hands folded in her lap. In moments like those, Lucy looked small and vulnerable. “I never meant for you to hate me so, Magdalena.”</p><p>Lena didn’t hate Lucy, despite what Lucy believed. She was just annoyed by Lucy’s humanity, how she was capable of empathy while Lena struggled with it and only showed signs of empathy when she felt guilty. It wasn’t fair how Lucy had more self-control than other vampires, how she rose above it as if the burning sensation was a walk in the park when in truth it was excruciating. Even worse, Lucy was always like that, without trying. Lena hated she had to struggle much harder than Lucy, which made Lucy’s existence a burden and a bitter reminder of how perfect she was compared to everyone else.</p><p>And yet, Lucy still bit Lena all those years ago. Where was her bloody self-restraint then?</p><p>“Stop being such a kicked puppy,” Lena sighed, snatching the comb. “I don’t hate you, Luce,” she promised, sitting down behind Lucy.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Three days; that was all it took for Lena to decide she wanted to see Kara, regardless of her reservations toward their difference in nature. Lena couldn’t stop thinking about that human and the waterfall of words she released to convince Lena she was single. Or as Kara said it; single as a pringle, whatever that was supposed to mean. Every fraction of their interaction that night was as vivid to Lena as knowing the lyrics to a song word by word.</p><p>How could one mortal leave such a lasting impact Lena felt things she hadn’t before? It was a sense of friendliness, something where she wanted to be near Kara and simply let everything be, a way of escaping going through the same motions every day.</p><p>Lena wasn’t an idiot, so she made a point of feeding first to temper her thirst around Kara. It was a relief that the mini-mortal didn’t belong to Kara, or else Lena wouldn’t be intrigued to visit. Perhaps, as time went on, she might grow to regret mingling with a human who she wasn’t out on convincing to be another one of her blood sources.</p><p>It was dark out and only two minutes past seven, the perfect time for Lena to drop by without it being an ungodly hour for mortals. On her way to the given address, she managed to pick up a gift, although not the wrapped kind. Lena hated hearing the paper crinkle, the sound was as awful as nails scraping down a board, and she knew it all too well from the presents Reign gave the twins on their birthday. Vampires generally did not celebrate such a thing, but Sarah and Zara loved the extra attention they received that day.</p><p>To Lena, it was nothing more than “congratulations on being dead another year,” something Reign got particularly aggravated about when Lena refused to sing happy birthday. Nia was the only one who shared Lena’s distaste, though the teenager was much more morbid and gave the twins matching gravestones and coffins. Lena chuckled at the thought of Sarah and Zara being terrified of being left alone with Nia to this very day.</p><p>“West and Park Avenue,” Lena whispered as she rounded the corner. “Number thirteen,” she mouthed, making her way up the stairs of the building. She kept her pace humble, practiced in walking like a slow turd the way humans did.</p><p>When Lena reached number thirteen, she balled her fist and rapped her knuckles against the wood in a quick yet light pattern. If she added any more strength, the door would come off clean, hinges and all. It took a few seconds – or was it a few minutes, Lena couldn’t tell, too distracted by the fact she was doing this – and Kara’s smiling face appeared, too close for comfort.</p><p>“Lena! Hi!” Kara chirped, equally worse than those damn birds that wouldn’t shut up. “You came!”</p><p>
  <em>So did my ears, so pipe it down. </em>
</p><p>“A-at my apartment…visiting, I mean.”</p><p>Lena held up the plastic bag. “I brought a gift…”</p><p>“You shouldn’t ha-”</p><p>“For your cat,” Lena finished awkwardly. Perhaps it was dumb or not something people did, but what the hell was she supposed to know about a potential date with a mortal?</p><p>“Oh,” Kara hushed. “Um, you still shouldn’t have,” she insisted, accepting the bag. “I can’t believe you remembered Mister Jingles!”</p><p>
  <em>How could I forget you rambling?</em>
</p><p>“Come in, I’ll introduce you two to each other,” Kara waved, opening the door further. “He’s super friendly and sweet, you’ll love him!”</p><p>Lena saw a white fuzzy creature running toward her. The thing missed a leg and an ear, but not perseverance as it attached its teeth and claws to Lena’s leg. Cats hated vampires for a reason that was unknown to immortals, although it was believed those four-legged, or in this case three-legged, animals could sense they weren’t human.</p><p>“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” Kara gasped, prying Mister Jingles away. “He normally never does that. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. I’m sorry.”</p><p>Lena held up a hand, unveiling a thin smile. “He is protecting his owner. That is all.”</p><p>Cats were the only kind of animals known for occasionally attacking vampires, plus they were hairy giant rats, so Lena wasn’t a fan. She didn’t comprehend the appeal of housing one of those things, but she wasn’t here to express her opinion.</p><p>“I, err, I was actually just about to leave before you came over,” Kara began, chewing her lip. Lena hoped to Satan Kara wouldn’t bite down hard enough to draw blood. “You can come with me if you want, I’d really like you to. It’ll only take fifteen minutes, tops. I’m a blood donor and I have an appointment to donate today.”</p><p>Something in Lena’s brain went boom. Kara was a what now? Oh, this was just Lena’s luck to be interested in a mortal and pick out the one night to spend time with her where blood was involved.</p><p>“You could donate as well,” Kara said with excitement in her voice as they left the building together. “It’s for a good cause, they always need more donors, unless you’re already listed as one. The hospital needs more blood for people going through surgery and such, especially if you have a rare blood type, which I do. But other blood-types are much needed, too.”</p><p>Lena wasn’t feeling too well. “I can’t donate,” she replied meekly while her feet moved on autopilot. “I’m severely anemic.”</p><p>“Oh, uh, I’m sorry,” Kara mumbled, reaching out for Lena’s hand. “Brr, you’re cold!” Kara shrieked, dropping Lena’s hand as if she touched a hot poker. “Are you okay, Lena?”</p><p>“I have naturally cold hands,” Lena shared with a chuckle in the hopes she could lighten the human’s concern. “In the winter, I always warm them up by letting people with warm skin hold mine. And in the summer, it’s the around way around and they come to me to cool down.”</p><p>
  <em>Lying to you feels wrong. </em>
</p><p>“We’re perfect for each other then,” Kara spoke, but as soon as she did, she ducked her head and all of her blood rushed to her face. “I mean, I’m always warm and you’re always cold, so we match. I wouldn’t mind keeping you warm in the winter.”</p><p>Something about Kara’s words made everything feel more vibrant to Lena. “Only in the winter?” she mused, watching Kara’s lips shape into a smile, a beautiful memory Lena was bound to carry with her forever and revisit frequently.</p><p>“If you want to see me all year round, I can say with some confidence the feeling is mutual, Lena. I mean, I know it’s early to tell, but I have a good feeling about you.”</p><p>Lena wasn’t used to being so welcomed in someone’s life, except for Lucy who wouldn’t mind resembling Lena’s shadow in a quest for closeness and family bonding.</p><p>“So, you’re not sick?” Kara backtracked, looking more at Lena than the path ahead of her.</p><p>“You’re welcome to examine me,” Lena offered, looping an arm around Kara’s waist and tugging her close before Kara ran right into a pole.</p><p>Kara’s gulp echoed in Lena’s ears. She practically felt the mortal shudder at the contact and while it was interesting, Lena had to let go to combat her thirst.</p><p>“T-thanks,” Kara stuttered, doing that nervous lip bite of hers again. “You have better reflexes than I do,” she laughed, rubbing her arm.</p><p>For a minute, Lena feared her hold had been too tight. She would never forgive herself if she hurt Kara because for some reason she couldn’t. The guilt of lying already wrecked Lena enough, which confused her, although it wasn’t a new feeling. Lena struggled with remorse before when she did terrible things.</p><p>“How long have you lived around here?” Kara queried. “Where did you grow up?”</p><p>The answer to the former had to remain secret, but Lena saw no harm in the latter. “I was born in Ireland,” she shared with some fondness though also sadness. “The meadow was my favorite place to be during the day, more so at night. I used to stare up at the moon and sing my heart out. Nobody was around for miles, it was perfect,” until she lost her parents and lived a life on the run before she became a vampire.</p><p>Lena didn’t let herself dwell on her past. Times were different then and rough on orphans. Deep down, it was a bittersweet memory, and a reminder she was never alive at all.</p><p>“How about yourself, Kara?” Lena prompted to avoid exposing too much.</p><p>“We should do a karaoke night sometime,” Kara mumbled to herself, but Lena heard it as clearly as Kara’s heartbeat. “I’m originally from Midvale. I grew up there with my sister, Alex.”</p><p>“Who is not your spouse,” Lena remembered, chuckling at the intensity in Kara’s eyes.</p><p>“Exactly,” Kara confirmed with a nod. “I moved here four years ago, set up my apartment, and started waitressing until I quit that job to go work at the shelter.”</p><p>Lena’s stomach dropped when they reached the center where Kara was about to donate blood, a fact that slipped Lena’s mind while she was wrapped up in Kara. For a vampire, such a thing was a nightmare. Seeing the blood pass through those tubes, slowly filling up those bags was too much.</p><p>Kara greeted someone and a minute later she filled out forms, and if she had known about Lena’s impeccable hearing then surely Kara wouldn’t have stood there, quietly reading the questions. “Have I had any sexual intercourse in the past six months?” she hummed, little more than mouthing the words. “No, I have not. The only action I’ve been getting came from dreams.”</p><p>“Have you ever been pregnant? No and pass. Why do they only ask female donors this? Some males might have been pregnant in the past.”</p><p>Lena indirectly received more information than she bargained for. Not that she minded in the slightest. It was endearing, observing Kara talking to herself and how she blushed whenever she read a sexual question. Lena was particularly interested in the part that implied Kara wasn’t out to have children, although the fact Kara hadn’t had sex with anyone in over six months piqued Lena’s curiosity more.</p><p>It was all going reasonably well until Kara sat down to give blood.</p><p>“The sight of blood makes me nauseous,” Lena lied, lip trembling as she forced herself to keep it together. “I am in need of some air,” she said, although in truth breathing only made things worse, but in public, she had to appear human and make her chest expand on a frequent basis.</p><p>Pretending to have a pulse was a struggle in itself. Lena practiced years upon decades trying to perfect details to blend in when necessary and it failed to get any easier. She had to be aware every split second when she wasn’t among her own kind. Her speed had to be measured carefully, blinking was something mortals did an annoying amount, and then there was breathing. Combining those three mentally exhausted Lena, but those were only the basics.</p><p>Lena ran outside, the way a human stumbling their way to bed after drinking too much would. She leaned against the wall and heaved in mouthfuls of air, which almost had her hurl. Passersby gawked at Lena, some with a frown. If this was any other night, she would have lured one into an alley and sated her thirst. But with Kara bound to emerge any minute, she couldn’t. And the risk was too high either way.</p><p>So Lena sucked it up and waited until Kara finally came out, not a moment too soon.</p><p>
  <em>I’m suffering to see you and you don’t even know. </em>
</p><p>“All done,” Kara uttered with a satisfied sigh. “I’m all yours now.”</p><p>Lena held up a finger. “Give me one minute,” she responded, ashamed centuries of honing her skills taught her nothing about dealing with a situation like this.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Let me know your thoughts. Comments always keep me motivated to continue to spend hours on writing a chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara felt bad. She made Lena nauseous, although not on purpose, but still. Going to a blood bank wasn’t how Kara imagined their first date would go, though in her defense she didn’t know Lena was going to show up at her door tonight until she did. And Kara didn’t want to be a jerk and cancel her appointment when it didn’t take all that long. How was she supposed to know Lena couldn’t handle blood?</p><p>Despite her reasonable train of thoughts, Kara wanted to make it up to Lena and have a real date. The night was still young and Kara’s rumbling stomach reminded her of the fact she didn’t get the chance to invite Lena to dinner before. Plus, what better way to combat spells of dizziness than the consumption of food? Kara sure felt better after a dose nutrients, preferably with sugar involved.</p><p>“How about you and I go out to eat?” Kara offered with a bright smile. “My treat, of course. I know this lovely place, mhmm, their food is delicious and then there’s this other place that has Thai food, which is a bit spicier, and I know not everyone likes that sort of thing. But, um, there are lots of options, you decide. I’m happy with anything.”</p><p>“I appreciate the invitation, however,” Lena replied, and Kara felt her stomach drop at the doubt in Lena’s voice. “I can’t swallow a bite.”</p><p>“Oh…,” Kara whispered, eyes desolate. “That’s okay, I understand. It was nice seeing you again.”</p><p>Lena chuckled as if this was somehow meant to be funny. “Trying to get rid of me that easily?” she quipped, quirking a brow at Kara, who gaped at Lena. “How about you and I do something else after we put some food into your stomach.”</p><p>“I’d love to,” Kara agreed, happy Lena wasn’t running for the hills just yet. “But,” Kara added, “are you sure you’d be okay watching me eat?”</p><p>After Lena guaranteed Kara it was fine about a dozen times, she got a burger and a milkshake. Both were delicious, but despite her licking her fingers to prove just how good it was, Lena wasn’t kidding around about not being able to swallow anything. Kara’s beautiful date wouldn’t so much as take a sip from her drink. It was a chocolate shake! Who didn’t like that?</p><p>
  <em>Not everyone is a foodie, I shouldn’t push so much. </em>
</p><p>Kara tried to get a hint of which activity Lena had in mind, but she didn’t cave. Kara was naturally curious and the fact she had to <em>‘wait and see’</em> as her date put it, made her pout. She finished her food and followed Lena outside, relieved she wasn’t scheduled to work the next day, which gave Kara plenty of time to enjoy her night with Lena.</p><p>“Wait,” Kara realized, stopping in her tracks. “You never told me what you do, work-wise.”</p><p>“I’d rather not say,” Lena replied, adding more mystery and more unanswered questions.</p><p>Kara bit her lip, unsure how to react. Maybe, once they knew one another better, Lena would trust her enough to disclose more about herself. If Kara had to guess, she would say Lena was probably a lawyer or some special agent, or a model. Lena’s jawline was incredible, the kind that could cut marble, and inspire poetry. The more Kara ogled Lena, the more she was willing to put her money on Lena being a model.</p><p>Lena was curvy in a way that had Kara convinced she would be the perfect cuddle bug. And Lena’s hips swayed slightly with every step, enticing and hypnotizing. Her lips resembled a mirage, yet whenever Lena spoke, they looked real. They were the perfect symmetry of two cupid bows and sometimes when Lena parted her lips slightly, it made Kara stop and stare, waiting in anticipation to hear that voice of hers again.</p><p>It was almost as if time itself started and stopped where Lena did. Seeing those soft lips of her mouth words when Kara was at a loss for hers, made Kara want to kiss Lena, but if she did, her soul risked leaving her body and being whisked off to heaven. Kara’s brain came up with a handful of love songs she could serenade to Lena, about her lips alone, if only Kara could get her hands on a microphone and avoid stuttering.</p><p>Kara’s eyes traveled, finding Lena’s blinking at hers. Lena’s eyes were captivatingly beautiful, not because of the green color which was Kara’s favorite as of late, but because of the world they held within, and the sights they must have borne witness to. Kara would miss a thousand sunsets to gaze into Lena’s eyes instead, but maybe it was the butterflies talking, and Kara didn’t want to be head over heels without knowing if Lena was at all interested in the possibility of a relationship between them.</p><p>Lena commenting, “watch out for poles,” pulled Kara out of her daze.</p><p>Kara wanted to reply, but she was too busy burying her face in her hands. God, she embarrassed herself way too much, and she so wanted to leave a good impression on Lena so a second date wouldn’t be off the table. Their first hadn’t quite begun yet, but Kara just knew one wasn’t going to be enough. She met some people left and right since she was single, but none of them held a candle to Lena.</p><p>Lena’s fingers touched Kara’s and it felt cold, but this time Kara was aware and didn’t jump. She smiled when Lena’s fingers entwined with hers, happily squeezing to encourage the loving gesture. Kara loved holding hands, even in public. Not that many people were around, but still, it meant a lot to Kara that Lena didn’t seem to mind either, more so the fact Lena took the initiative.</p><p>“Tell me more about the shelter,” Lena uttered. “You mentioned you quit being a waitress to work with animals?”</p><p>“Yes!” Kara beamed, swinging their arms back and forth a little. “Okay, so, when I was younger, I always found strays and brought them home with me. My parents weren’t too happy about that, but after a lot of begging, they allowed me to keep them until we found them a new home together. I think that’s where it all began, this wish of mine to find cats and dogs a loving home. I personally believe everyone deserves a home, including animals. So, um, anyway, about a year ago, I heard the shelter was looking for extra helping hands. They had reached full capacity and had to expand, due to their strict no-kill policy. The pay was less, but my heart was in it right away.”</p><p>Kara smiled at the fond memory of the best decision she ever made. Even if there was no paycheck involved, she still would have found a way to help.</p><p>“So, um, anyway,” Kara continued, smiling. “I met up with Eve, who is currently my colleague and my friend, and everything just clicked. All of it felt right and I got the job. I go there three or four days a week, sometimes five or six. It depends on the volunteers offering to walk the dogs or clean out cages. There’s this one dog, Pepper, and I’m not supposed to be picking favorites but he kind of is. He only has one eye, which has been scaring people away, but if they would just give him a chance they would see what a good boy he is. It’s been months and it breaks my heart.”</p><p>Kara inhaled a shaky breath. Talking about Pepper made her heart ache and she couldn’t for the life of her understand people’s reservations. She didn’t comprehend why a pet was only considered perfect family material when they had all of their legs, ears, and eyes. One would be so lucky as to get such a loving best friend.</p><p>Lena was silent, but the fact her thumb occasionally smoothed around Kara’s and how now and then, she squeezed just a little, let Kara know she was listening, and that meant a lot. Kara didn’t always get to talk freely, tending to reign in her habit of being a waterfall.</p><p>
  <em>I hope you’ll be the one that stays.</em>
</p><p>Kara shot a longing glance at Lena, and with a smile, Kara went on. “Pepper started making his own bed,” she said with a wet chuckle, feeling her heart clench. “He wants to show people he’s a good boy because he really is. He takes treats from my hand without biting, doesn’t chew up his things, follows me when I take him for a walk without tugging at his leash, and I just wish someone would see what I do.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kara uttered, shaking her head. “I got carried away, didn’t I?”</p><p>“Never apologize for being true to your heart,” Lena responded, lifting Kara’s hand up to her lips.</p><p>They were indeed soft, so incredibly supple as Lena kissed Kara’s knuckles. She had to admit Lena was right, but habits were tough to break, and for a long time Kara convinced herself getting passionate about something wasn’t always a good thing. Her ex used to hate it when she talked too much, which to their standards was whenever Kara said more than one sentence.</p><p>
  <em>I can’t believe I dated such a jerk. </em>
</p><p>“I’ve been sharing a lot,” Kara noted with a smile. “I’d really love to hear more about you, whether it’s a hobby or something you’ve always wanted to do.”</p><p>“All right,” Lena relented while they kept walking. Kara had no idea where they were headed exactly, but she looked forward to finding out. “I’m a collector,” Lena shared. “Ranging from music and books, to paintings and sculptures. Anything that catches my eye.”</p><p>Kara’s ears perked up. While she didn’t know much about art, she loved going to museums and admiring the raw talent. “It never ceases to amaze me what some people can do with paint, a canvas, and a brush,” she whispered, awed.</p><p>“Likewise,” Lena nodded. “Which artist’s work do you prefer?”</p><p>“I, err,…” Kara paused to think. The term artist was a broad perspective, talent was everywhere from street musicians to those sitting in front of an easel to capture a landscape. “Billie Eilish?”</p><p>Lena pursed her lips together and hummed. “I’ve never heard of this eyelash person.”</p><p>“It’s not,” Kara began, sighing. “Um, never mind. She’s basically a talented young singer. I told you mine, so who’s yours?”</p><p>“There aren’t nearly enough hours in one night to answer.”</p><p>Groaning, Kara let it slide, hoping that one day, she would get the chance to admire Lena’s collection.</p><p>Kara’s feet ached, but she didn’t dare tell Lena she was getting tired. This date was something Kara needed, to get a break from her everyday life and to gush about Lena to her family and friends later. Relaxing on the couch with snacks could wait. Kara wasn’t intent on calling it a night until Lena did.</p><p>Lena came to a stop in front of a bike rack. If that was where she parked her bicycle, she sure liked getting in her ten-thousands steps a day because it was multiple blocks away from Kara’s apartment.</p><p>“Oh, look,” Lena spoke with a gasp, finger pointing at something across the street. “A puppy.”</p><p>“Puppy?” Kara repeated, whipping her head around. “Where?” she questioned, looking all over, but to her disappointment, there was no puppy at all.</p><p>
  <em>That was mean. </em>
</p><p>When Kara turned back to pout at Lena, she saw Lena had a bicycle in her hands. For a good second or two, Kara honestly thought Lena lied to her about the puppy to create a diversion so she could steal someone’s bicycle, which was wrong and not something Kara was on board with. But then, she caught a glimpse of the open lock, slung across Lena’s arm, and since there was no crowbar involved, it meant Lena wasn’t a thief.</p><p>Kara bit her lip, awash with guilt for assuming the worst.</p><p>Lena swung her right leg over her bicycle, hands gripping the handlebars. “Hop on,” she said, nodding at the steering wheel.</p><p>Kara’s eyes went round. “You want me…to hop on…there?” she gawked, pointing.</p><p>She worked out, sure, and Kara knew she was fit, but that didn’t mean she was light as a feather. Sitting on someone’s steering wheel only seemed like a good idea for kids in the hands of a capable adult, although sometimes Kara spotted teenagers doing the same. But Lena was an anemic who was very much nauseous not long ago, and Kara didn’t want her to faint or extort herself.</p><p>Lena placed a hand on her chest, now there was a real distraction. “I solemnly swear I shall not ride into a pole,” she spoke, her voice the epitome of mockery.</p><p>“Pity,” Kara mumbled under her breath, kind of wanting Lena to be embarrassed for once instead of her.</p><p>“Ugh, okay,” Kara sighed, rolling her lips into her mouth, trying to figure out the best way to climb on without disturbing Lena’s balance.</p><p>“But if you end up at the hospital I’ll never talk to you again,” Kara warned with a huff as if she wouldn’t sit by Lena’s side and wait for her to be okay.</p><p>“You know…,” Lena hummed. “I was trying to get matching bandages, have I not said?”</p><p>Forgetting to be careful for a moment, Kara gave Lena a playful push. To her relief, though, Lena remained steady. Kara wondered if perhaps Lena was some sort of acrobatic gymnast or a powerlifter. One thing was certain as Kara got onto the steering wheel; Lena was strong.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Wait, wait, there’s a downwards hill,” Kara called out, clutching Lena’s hands tighter. “Lena!” Kara yelled. “Hiiiiiillll.”</p><p>Kara screamed her lungs out as they rolled down the hill. The wind swept through her hair and her sight was limited because of how dark it was, although the latter was a blessing because during the day there was more traffic and added visibility, which was definitely worse. Fear was replaced by a rush of adrenaline, more exhilarating than anything Kara ever experienced.</p><p>“Are you always such a daredevil?” Kara questioned. She felt her heart in her throat, trying to escape.</p><p>“What is life without adventure?”</p><p>
  <em>If I die, I’m coming back to haunt you. </em>
</p><p>“I thought this trip would be more about the scenery,” Kara reasoned. “Like, ah, the park. You know, something less, uh, highway-ey.”</p><p>Lena leaned close, lips tickling Kara’s ear. “As you wish,” Lena uttered, changing her direction.</p><p>Kara mentally told her ovaries to calm down. She had no idea how someone could enchant her so fast, but something about Lena was unique. Kara’s breaths evened out when they reached the park. She admired the moon, shining brightly, and the stars adding to its beauty.</p><p>The only downside to their first date was the eerie feeling of being watched that crept up Kara’s spine. She couldn’t explain it, but part of her was convinced eyes followed them around. Her subconscious sensed a presence her eyes didn’t pick up on.</p><p>
  <em>It’s probably someone walking their dog or stumbling out of a bar. </em>
</p><p>Everything slowed yet sped up at the same time when Lena hummed a song and regardless of Kara’s attempts at figuring out which one it was, all of it sounded unfamiliar and foreign.</p><p>“Все скроет ночь немая. За тобой крадется он, И вот-вот поймает. (The silent night hides everything. He sneaks up behind you, and he is going to get you),” Lena sang quietly, pleasantly surprising Kara.</p><p>The only distinctive part for Kara was that it was Russian, a language she personally couldn’t understand a lick of. She already knew Lena came from Ireland, so there was a possibility she was fluent in a number of languages. Kara wished she could say the same, but she nearly flunked English back in school.</p><p>“Он идет...Он уже…близко...(He walks…He is coming…closer).”</p><p>Lena’s voice was beautifully haunting with a crack here and there, uncovering a deeper meaning. Kara wished she understood the lyrics or the emotion behind them, but for now, she settled to listen and enjoy the cool breeze of the night.</p><p>Across from the park, Kara saw something shift and disappear into an alley, although it could have been a cat. Plenty of cats freely walked about, except for Mister Jingles who didn’t like being outside. Kara once took him with her to the park and he meowed so much in protest, he refused to cuddle with her for a week.</p><p>“After you, milady,” Lena mused when she stopped in front of Kara’s building.</p><p>Kara accepted the hand Lena reached out to help her hop off. Her feet were no longer tired, but Kara’s butt on the other hand felt numb from sitting down on that piece of metal for what must have been an hour.</p><p>“Nobody ever went cycling with me,” Kara shared, and if she was honest, she hadn’t used one since she was a child. “Thank you for this lovely night and um, I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come in? We can watch a movie together, I’ll even let you choose, literally anything you want, except ghosts,” she offered with a smile and a light shudder at the off chance Lena was into horror flicks.</p><p>“I have popcorn and chips,” Kara added, wiggling her eyebrows. “Oh, and ice cream.”</p><p>Lena got a lot closer and the back of her knuckles brushed Kara’s cheek. Kara swallowed while she closed her eyes, breath ghosting against Lena’s lips, and she thought of making the first move, but something kept Kara frozen in place. It felt surreal, being this near to a woman she was drawn to, and Kara didn’t want to burst the bubble, in case it turned out to be nothing more than a dream.</p><p>“Some other time,” Lena whispered, pressing her lips to the corner of Kara’s mouth.</p><p>When Kara’s eyes fluttered open, Lena was gone.</p><p>This wasn’t how Kara expected her date with Lena would end and as she dragged her feet up the steps, she realized she still didn’t get Lena’s phone number or any other way to contact her. Once again, Kara was entirely dependent on Lena’s decisions.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Hiya, people, I’m coming at you live again with Mister Jingles and…” Kara paused to replicate a drumroll by clapping her hands on her thighs. “My sweet sister, Alex!”</p><p>“Get that camera out of my face, Kara,” Alex grumbled, pushing Kara’s phone away with her hand.</p><p>“She’s not much of a morning person,” Kara told the viewers. “So, um, moving on…”</p><p>“Hiii,” Jamie cooed, running up to Kara. “Jin!” the toddler shrieked, smiling at Mister Jingles, who sat next to Kara on the couch with a squeaky mouse in his mouth.</p><p>Lena had gifted Mister Jingles that, Kara discovered last night. It was a nice gesture and she wished Mister Jingles hadn’t attacked Lena, which remained odd. Kara’s beloved pet was never aggressive, not even when Jamie wasn’t gentle and pulled his tail because she was too young to understand.</p><p>“Jin, Jin, Jin,” Jamie chanted, giggling when Kara finally got the hint and picked her up to sit her down on her lap.</p><p>“Easy with Mister Jingles, baby,” Alex warned. “And, Kara, don’t feed her more than one cookie this time.”</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “But,” she tried, and stopped because she really had to stop feeding her niece so much sugar.</p><p>“Mister Jingles and I will be back soon,” Kara promised the viewers before disconnecting, not wishing to broadcast her clumsy steps toward a romantic relationship.</p><p>“Alex, you’ll never believe what happened last night,” Kara said with a smile. “Lena came over.”</p><p>Alex rolled up her sleeve and stared at her watch. “Being five minutes late won’t be the end of the world,” she mumbled before plopping down on the couch. “Okay, how did it go?”</p><p>“Mi Jin,” Jamie cooed, smushing her fact against the cat’s. “Mi babe,” she said, hugging her arms around Mister Jingles.</p><p>Alex snorted. “I’d get her a puppy if she wasn’t such a handful.”</p><p>Kara glanced at her cute little niece. If her sister ever decided to adopt an animal, she would hundred percent support her decision, and offer suggestions. Kara wished Alex hadn’t said no to gifts in the form of an animal, otherwise she would have introduced Jamie to Pepper because Kara couldn’t think of a more perfect family for Pepper than hers.</p><p>Unlike others holding off the boat because Pepper only had one eye, Kara knew that wouldn’t scare off her niece, who saw past handicaps and loved animals equally. Jamie solidified that fact when she found a rat and proudly presented it, which had Alex scream bloody murder. Kara wasn’t a fan of rodents either, although they didn’t make her panic, and she never actively set up traps for them.</p><p>“Lena and I went for a walk,” Kara shared, blushing hard at the memory of Lena holding her hand literally the whole time before they reached her bicycle. “And then she told me to hop on the steering wheel of her bicycle,” Kara went on, chuckling when her sister’s eyes went round.</p><p>“I think she works out a lot,” Kara reasoned. “Anyways, we enjoyed the scenery together,” except for the hill she decided not to mention. “And then she sang something in Russian, even though she told me she was born in Ireland.”</p><p>“Russian? Damn, are you dating a spy?”</p><p>“Never say never,” Kara shrugged, chuckling along with her sister.</p><p>“In all seriousness,” Alex prompted, “which field is she in?”</p><p>“I, um, I have no idea,” Kara answered, chewing her lip. “She wouldn’t say.”</p><p>Alex’s jaw clenched. She ticked her index finger against her cheek, eyes narrowed, staring blankly ahead of herself.</p><p>“Maybe she’s just a private person,” Kara guessed. “Or, you know, an evil overlord, out to kill me,” she commented dryly, shaking her head at Alex who was worried for nothing.</p><p>“I’m your big sister, Kara. It’s my job to look out for you.”</p><p>Kara sighed, hearing that same old schtick. Alex didn’t have to protect her all the time just because their parents drilled it into her pretty much from the day Kara was born. Alex wasn’t Cupid, she couldn’t shoot an arrow at someone and ensure they never broke Kara’s heart.</p><p>“Lena isn’t like my ex,” Kara replied, exhaling. “At least, I don’t think so. She listened to me, really listened. And she held my hand, in public. And – why are you cringing?”</p><p>“Hand-holding in public, really?” Alex scoffed, but her lips were smiling. “That’s cheesy. But…” her posture shifted. “It can also be dangerous. I wish I didn’t have to warn you like this, but I do. Some people are judgmental and violent.”</p><p>Kara held up her hands. “I know, I know,” she cautioned, nodding in agreement. “But I box and it was dark out and…I just think most people only voice a protest when they get to hide behind a screen, and it’s sad they have nothing better to do than spread hate rather than love, which doesn’t affect me because allies exist, too, and their support reaches me where it matters. I’m pansexual and I’m proud of it, and I won’t apologize for… being true to my heart,” she sighed, fondly thinking back to Lena rejecting her apology for rambling, which was another thing Kara was no longer sorry for.</p><p>“I’m proud of you, too,” Alex whispered, eyes teary. “I love you, Kara.”</p><p>“I love you too, Alex. You’re the best sister anyone could ever have.”</p><p>“I have to go now before my mascara runs out,” Alex said with a wet laugh, wiping her pinky across the corner of her eyes. “Bye, baby,” she whispered to Jamie, “be good while auntie Kara watches you, okay?”</p><p>“Bi!” Jamie cooed, waving with both of her hands.</p><p>“No, no, she’s a lesbian,” Kara corrected, chuckling when Alex rolled her eyes at her.</p><p>“Les,” Jamie uttered.</p><p>“Yes, now say bi.”</p><p>“Kara, I swear if my daughter starts yelling lesbian at random times, I will call mom and tell her what you did.”</p><p>
  <em>Pulling the mom card is so unfair. </em>
</p><p>Kara grabbed the pillow from her couch and moved it around like a flag to announce her surrender. There were always other fun things she could teach Jamie, like how to build a tower made out of Lego or how to dance. Not that Kara was any good at the latter, but nobody was watching so it didn’t matter if she looked ridiculous. She waited for the coast to be clear and once it was, she gave Jamie a yummy chocolate chip cookie to munch on.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>From the corner of her eye, Kara saw the sun dip under the horizon as she rushed into the supermarket with Jamie attached to her hip. She had to hurry because she was hosting dinner tonight, which meant Alex and Kelly counted on Kara for something a little more nutritious than pizza and far less greasy. Last-minute shopping wasn’t ideal, of course, but it wasn’t like she had free time by a boatful.</p><p>The second she entered, Kara was struck by the dreaded feeling she was being watched again. Only, now it was worse because she swore someone followed her. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed a cart and placed Jamie in it to keep her from running off to the cereal aisle.</p><p>“Pop, pop, pop,” Jamie giggled, kicking her legs.</p><p>“No honey pops today,” Kara sighed softly. “We need to buy some vegetables, ooh spinach wouldn’t be so bad if I mush it with potatoes,” she mused, pushing the cart.</p><p>But the daunting feeling someone observed them kept following Kara until she could no longer take it and started questioning whether that cat in that alley had truly been a cat or someone stalking her for reasons she didn’t understand.</p><p>In an outburst of frustration, Kara spun around on the heel of her shoe. “Stop following me---! Andrea, hi. Um, I’m sorry about that,” she said while her rage dissipated as she made eye-contact with her colleague’s wife, who definitely wasn’t some creepy stalker. </p><p>
  <em>God, I need to chillax. </em>
</p><p>“Hello, Kara,” Andrea replied, pushing the strap of her purse higher up her shoulders, frowning. “You seem on edge. Is everything alright?”</p><p>“Yes, yes,” Kara answered quickly, smiling in relief. “I just thought someone was following me and I freaked out for no reason.”</p><p>Andrea glanced to their left and then to their right before leaning in, whispering, “I have an extra can of mace in my purse if you want one.”</p><p>“Uh, no, I still have Alex’s.”</p><p>For what it was worth, Kara genuinely was sorry for being so crass. Clearly, Andrea was here for groceries, as was everyone else who could have been the person right behind Kara. She had no legitimate excuse for her paranoia. It was all in her head and she blew it way out of proportion, successfully embarrassing herself yet again. If there was a Guinness world record for that, surely she won it by now.</p><p>“How are the kittens?” Kara asked before Andrea could recommend her a psychologist or book a therapeutic massage for her to relax.</p><p>“They’ll make it through. Bowie thinks he’s their mother. He has not left their side,” Andrea responded with a smile as she unlocked her phone. “Here’s Bowie, cuddling Eeny Meeny, Miny, and Moe,” she said while showing a picture of the four of them together.</p><p>“Don’t ask,” Andrea chuckled. “Eve wanted to name them, so I let her.”</p><p>Kara smiled in understanding, every pet deserved a name. “They’re so adorable,” she whispered, lifting Jamie up so her niece could have a look, too.</p><p>Jamie placed her hand on Kara’s cheek, tapping for attention. “Mi babe?”</p><p>“No, sweetheart, those pets aren’t yours,” Kara replied, chuckling at her niece’s pout.</p><p>“I’d trade one of those minions for one of these little munchkins,” Andrea spoke, tickling Jamie’s cheek, much to the toddler’s delight.</p><p>Kara knew Eve and Andrea were looking to adopt a child. It was almost as if everyone around her had a case of baby fever, except for Imra, who wasn’t sure what she wanted just yet. Kara, on the other hand, already decided children weren’t for her. While she loved being an aunt and wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, she wasn’t interested in being a parent to anyone but pets.</p><p>“Can I visit the kittens sometime?” Kara requested, wanting to see with her own two eyes they were really okay and getting stronger, although she did take Andrea on her word.</p><p>“By all means,” Andrea spoke, tucking her phone away. “You can stop by anytime you want. I hired a pet nanny to take care of them when Eve and I aren’t home. I’ll let them know they can let you in.”</p><p>“You have a pet nanny?” Kara whispered, stunned because she didn’t even know that was a thing.</p><p>Andrea nodded. “Their name is Barney and they remind me of Dr. Dolittle, minus the being able to talk with animals,” she explained with a light chuckle. “They’re taking a gap year before going to college. That kid is quite the brainiac. They want to become a veterinarian when they’re older.”</p><p>“Little Barney Fife?” Kara checked, smiling. “Eve told me all about them, said she used to babysit them.”</p><p>“Mhmm,” Andrea hummed. “They’re sixteen and they live down the street from us. If you want a pet nanny for Mister Jingles-”</p><p>“Oh, no, I don’t,” Kara interrupted, not having extra money lying around for that anyway. “I should get going because I’m on dinner duty, but it was lovely running into you, and I look forward to seeing Bowie and the kittens again.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kara:  *romantic feels about their date*<br/>Lena: *sings creepy lullaby*</p><p>The lullaby is called Tili tili bom and it really is creepy. <br/>But hey, Supercorp just had their first date and I have more planned :-)</p><p>Don't forget to leave a kudos and a comment.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>***WARNING***</p><p>The scene where Lena and Nia interact might be triggering to some people. Nia briefly touches on being transgender.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The mansion was the perfect picture of serenity for once when all vampires had cleared out the moment the sun disappeared, giving Lena some much-needed peace and quiet. She couldn’t block out sounds, so rare times where she was alone with nobody in the near vicinity, were an absolute blessing. It reminded Lena of simpler times, where she would hide away in caves, far away from populated areas, and even her own kind. Back in the good old days where she hadn’t met Reign yet and joined her clan.</p><p>“Tili tili bom, the night birds are chirping,” Lena sang in the lowest volume she could muster while she waltzed into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of blood. The taste was close to horrid, but at least she didn’t have to mingle with mortals to get her fill. “He is inside the house to visit those who can’t sleep.”</p><p>Lena hummed the rest of the lullaby as she padded through the halls on her bare feet. Several of the paintings she acquired over the centuries hung on the walls, alongside torches which brought out their warm and vibrant colors. Lena learned the song in Russia and altered between Russian and English each time it passed her lips.</p><p>The purpose of the lullaby was to scare children into falling asleep so the boogeyman wouldn’t get them, for it was believed those who remained awake vanished. It was a hoax, of course, although those who wandered around did risk encountering a vampire.</p><p>All of the stillness Lena reveled in was abruptly ended by the twins bursting through the entrance.</p><p>
  <em>Disappear, wretches. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s cup slipped out of her hand when she laid eyes on the victims of Sarah and Zara’s latest scavenger hunt. Reign handled it all with grace, sitting down in her armchair like it was a normal occurrence, although the twins sure tried to make it so.</p><p>Sarah dragged a man across the floor by his ankle. From the looks of the single boot he had on and his torn rain vest, Lena guessed he was a hiker. Zara was right behind her sister, holding a leash that was attached to a dog. They weren’t even going for the “are you lost, sweetie?” act, which Nia occasionally did when she brought a stranger back.</p><p>Lena lost part of her hunger when the twins proved why she thought of them as demons. That human and his dog never stood a chance. The former, Lena was fine with and in no position to judge. The latter, however, left Lena puzzled because animal blood tasted disgusting. And personally, she hadn’t killed for sport since she went after a group of men after they beat a woman.</p><p>Reign never scolded the twins for their vicious ways that included killing animals, never got angry at them for anything, except for one time where she became livid and surprised every vampire in the mansion. Lena remembered it all too well; as she did all her memories as an immortal.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Nine years ago…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was a rainy night. The sound of thunder caused Zara and Sarah to hiss and cower under Reign’s arms. They couldn’t go outside due to the risk of being struck by lightning, which made vampires burst into ashes and perish on the spot. It was one of their weaknesses, one of the deadly kind. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>As they waited for the storm to pass, loud knocks on the door made them jump. Lena exchanged a glare with Reign at the mortal foolish enough to enter their territory. The human’s heartbeat pounded with more force than his fists. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Reign flicked her wrist, ordering the twins to stay where they were as she went and opened the door. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Hello, ma’am, have you seen my daughter?” the mortal spoke, holding up a picture. “She’s fifteen and she hasn’t been home in three days. My wife and I are worried sick and….”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena shut her eyes at the tiresome explanation, suspecting the twins were responsible for the disappearance of the girl, considering she saw them precisely three days ago, killing a teenager. She waited for Reign to pounce on the mortal, to end his misery, and clean up the mess Zara and Sarah made. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Her name is Ruby,” the man said, and then everything changed. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I have not seen her, but I will keep an eye out,” Reign responded instead of tearing the human to pieces or throwing him to the others. “I hope you find your darling girl soon.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena opened her eyes, mouth ajar. She stared at Reign; saw the way her body shook after she shut the door. And then, a split second later, Reign’s hands were around the twins’ throats. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Sarah and Zara squirmed, eyes round, nails scraping at Reign’s fingers. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>This is it, Lena thought, Reign’s going to kill them. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Rey…?” Nia whispered, floorboard creaking as she took a step. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lena caught Nia gulping, perhaps fearing she was next. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Reign screamed death at the twins, in Latin before letting them go. Once she did, she broke a table, four chairs, and slammed her entire arm through the wall. All the while Zara and Sarah begged their mother to love them again. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>To this day, Lena had no idea what caused Reign to see red that night. The twins murdered children before and Reign never yelled at them for it, regardless of the age of their victims.</p><p>Tempted to voice snide remarks, Lena left with a mission in mind. She wove her way through the woods, flitting past the trees effortlessly. When she reached the edge, she forced herself to slow down, wary of nearby humans.</p><p>
  <em>This is too slow. </em>
</p><p>Lena gritted her teeth, realizing at a human pace, it would take her roughly half an hour. She didn’t have that kind of time to spare, not when she had two people to visit and change clothes in-between. If it depended solely on her, she would knock on Kara’s door even if it was 4 am, but mortals needed sleep.</p><p>Settling to jog, Lena ignored those who stared her down. Perhaps not everyone went for a run in high heels, but she had no problems with balance, and the mortals could suck it with their weak bones and strong odds of twisting their ankles if they tried to do the same.</p><p>“What are you gawking at?” Lena sneered at a man with the audacity to catcall. “Keep walking lest you want my heel up your arse.”</p><p>“Someone’s in a fun mood tonight,” came Leslie’s voice, followed by her laughter as she leaned against the door of her cellar. “Run along, wanker!” she yelled at the man, flipping him off.</p><p>Lena rubbed her ears and fixed Leslie with a pointed glare, but she didn’t come here to argue, so Lena let it slide. “I need you to do something for me.”</p><p>“Look,” Leslie sighed, slumping forward. “If this is about Luce-”</p><p>“It isn’t,” Lena cut in, although now that the human mentioned it, she might have something to say about that. “But I do want to know what the deal between you two is.”</p><p>“Um, yeah… have you talked to her?” Leslie questioned, scratching the back of her neck.</p><p>Leslie scooted from one foot onto the other, practically dancing, not standing still for a second. Her jittery movements were familiar to Lena. She knew Leslie was an addict looking for something to get high on, a scratch to her itch. Lena tried so hard to create a life for Leslie, all for nothing because that bloody mortal had an uncontrollable urge to end up in ruins. But Lena cared enough not to abandon Leslie.</p><p>“As I said, I need you to do something for me,” Lena backtracked, saving the argument for another day. “This is important and if you fuck it up, I’ll break your arm.”</p><p>“Whoa, hey, cool it with the threats,” Leslie replied, holding up her hands. “Jesus, fuck. Okay, what do you want?”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The fourth shirt ripped as Lena tried to wriggle her arms inside. With a heavy sigh, she dropped it on top of the pile of the other clothes she destroyed due to her unbridled strength. In times like those, being a vampire bloody sucked, and frustration did nothing to ease the process.</p><p>On a brighter note, Lena did manage to put on her underwear so far. It took her nineteen minutes, but that wasn’t the point. Clothes had advanced as decades passed and while short skirts were considered acceptable, being out on the streets in lingerie wasn’t. Not that Lena wanted to, although she truly wished to see Kara again. Nights went by slower when Kara wasn’t in them and Lena felt she let her down last time when she rejected Kara’s offer of watching a movie together.</p><p>Lena cared little about films, though for Kara she would endure sitting through one.</p><p>“Fucking cunt,” Lena spat when a fifth shirt got ruined, just as she started buttoning it up.</p><p>
  <em>Screw you, Satan. </em>
</p><p>Lena hated how many clothes she went through on a monthly basis. The fabric was too easy to tear, which was a perpetual struggle. It was so bad; the twins never dressed themselves because they literally couldn’t. Even a seasoned vampire never mastered the art without the loss of many garments. Lena once met a coven who believed in purity, although she was convinced it was merely a façade to avoid the difficulty of putting on clothes.</p><p>“A simple shirt and pants, that’s all I ask,” Lena whispered at her reflection in the mirror.</p><p>At this rate, Lena worried seeing Kara was off the table. It was close to nine, slowly surpassing a decent hour to make an appearance.</p><p>“Clothes are a bitch,” Nia said, poking her head around the door. “Need a hand?”</p><p>Lena eyed the teenager, who wasn’t a champion at getting dressed, though Nia did remarkably nail shrugging on her leather jacket without damage.</p><p>“Yes, but no smugness,” Lena replied, glaring at Nia’s imminent smile.</p><p>Nia dragged her eyes down Lena’s body. “Nice set you got there,” Nia hummed, snapping her eyes back up.</p><p>“Are you talking about my tits or my lingerie?”</p><p>“Why answer the obvious?”</p><p>Lena shook her head. “I don’t care how long you’ve been immortal, you’ll always be seventeen to me, so you better behave or I’ll kick you out of my room.”</p><p>“You’ve grown quite sensitive lately. I’m getting under your skin without trying,” Nia pointed out, which held some truth, but Lena was agitated so it didn’t count.</p><p>Deciding to drop the banter, Lena pointed at the next shirt and a pair of pants. She stretched out her arms and didn’t move an inch when Nia slid the fabric over her skin. Nia poked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, eyes narrowed at the sleeves. Those were tricky, although buttons and other small details were the worst.</p><p>“I can touch up your makeup once I’m finished, if you want,” Nia offered, starting on the buttons once the sleeves were in place.</p><p>“Fine, but don’t get lipstick on my teeth.”</p><p>“Who do you think I am? An amateur?” Nia scoffed. “Girl, if I was human, I’d have been a fashion guru. This decade is totally my jam.”</p><p>Lena’s eyebrows creased together. She knew Nia made a point of keeping up with the times, but most of it sounded tacky. Plus, Lena wasn’t a girl, she was a woman. But the part that stood out the most of what Nia said was ‘if I was human.’ Nia should have never been a vampire. Instead, she should have grown up and should have gotten a taste of life without the struggles of immortality.</p><p>It didn’t matter how much Nia claimed she liked this century more than the one she was born in. Lena despised Reign for taking away Nia’s life. That child had a life with friends and family, and Reign selfishly stole her away to expand her clan when she could have chosen anyone else.</p><p>“You can stop feeling bad for me,” Nia spoke out of nowhere. “You always crinkle your brow when you worry after something I said.”</p><p>“I do no such thing,” Lena whispered, turning her gaze away from her mirror.</p><p>“I like being a vampire, you know.”</p><p>“How would you bloody know what you do and don’t like?” Lena uttered, the pent up frustration coming out at once. “You never had the chance to be human very long, had you?”</p><p>“Is it human enough for you if I tell you I hated my old life and wanted to die? Because guess what, the family I had? Not supportive of the fact that I’m trans. The family I have now? Couldn’t care less about my gender because I finally found people who treat me as their equal. And you know what else, you hate Reign so much for the fact she turned me but did you know she paid for my surgery before she made me immortal? So the way I see it, she didn’t end my life, she gave me one. I finally get to exist. But you didn’t know because it’s all semantics and you’ve been too busy being angry.”</p><p>Lena opened and closed her mouth. “I…I did not know…any of that,” she admitted, stunned at Nia’s sudden yet justified outburst. “Should I hug you now or…?” Lena asked, moving her arms around.</p><p>
  <em>What would Reign do? </em>
</p><p>Lena didn’t know the first thing about being a parental figure or trying to resemble one. Vampires generally weren’t the nurturing type, but she wasn’t fully dead inside either, so she felt she had to do something to offer comfort.</p><p>“Ew no,” Nia laughed, backing away. “And you better not start crying.”</p><p>“A pat on the shoulder, then?”</p><p>“Shut up and lift your foot so I can put your pants on,” Nia muttered, crouching down.</p><p>Lena followed Nia’s instructions, relieved when she was dressed at last, although their conversation didn’t feel finished. Perhaps Lena’s social interaction skills needed tweaking, but her concerns always came from a good place.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Lena, hi,” Kara greeted, dressed down in blue cotton pants with a matching shirt, decorated with brown bears. It was ridiculous yet perfect for her bubbly personality. “I’m so happy you’re here. Come in and ignore my pajamas, I wasn’t sure if you’d show up tonight.”</p><p>“The teddy bears are adorable,” Lena uttered, genuinely finding it endearing catching Kara in such a casual outfit. “As are you,” Lena added in afterthought.</p><p>The blush that rose to Kara’s cheeks came as no surprise. “T-thanks,” she replied, stepping aside. “Alex said I’m too old for this,” she sighed, gesturing at her outfit.</p><p>“Nonsense,” Lena said, waving her hand. “One is never too old to be true to themselves and if this makes you happy, then you shouldn’t stop.”</p><p>Kara nodded and smiled while she closed the door behind Lena. Making that particular human smile was everything. Lena couldn’t care less what Kara decided to wear as long as Kara felt good, which was ironic, considering Lena did pay attention to her clothes to dance the balance between overdressed and underdressed.</p><p>Mister – obvious vampire hater – Jingles hissed at the sight of Lena. Not the kind of thank you he ought to give for the gift he received, but Lena came prepared with a weapon. She wasn’t about to let some animal ruin her precious time with Kara.</p><p>
  <em>We all have our weaknesses, kitty cat. </em>
</p><p>Lena uncurled her fingers, revealing the catnip she had in her fist. She lifted her palm to her lips, blew, and watched as the strange-smelling product twirled down.</p><p>The hairy ball of fluff dropped down and rolled around on the floor, meowing as he nudged his head to connect with the catnip.</p><p>
  <em>1-1, fleabag. </em>
</p><p>“Awww,” Kara said, smiling from ear to ear. “I think he likes you now. Do you want to pet him? He doesn’t bite.”</p><p>While Lena concurred el Gato and avoided an attack, she wasn’t keen on testing the limits by allowing the critter to snap its teeth at her. One victory was enough for one night and reminded her to supply herself with more catnip for future encounters.  </p><p>“Can I get you something to drink?” Kara questioned, opening the refrigerator. “Water? Soda?”</p><p>Lena’s throat burned at the mere thought of feeding. Vampires weren’t capable of consuming anything other than blood. If she took a sip of water, she would vomit black blood. It was even worse if immortals attempted to eat food, which led them to lose a tooth or a few. In her early days as a vampire, Lena saw one of her kind going through both.</p><p>“I drank a large bottle of water today. I won’t be thirsty for a while. Thank you.”</p><p>“Oh, okay,” Kara responded quietly. “Did you want to go out? If you give me ten minutes, I can get dressed. I have a late shift tomorrow, so I have time.”</p><p>Lena shook her head. “I was wondering if your offer to watch a movie together is still open.”</p><p>“Yes!” Kara cheered, and the broad smile on her face awoke one in Lena.</p><p>Seeing Kara all excited was worth sitting through a film Lena had zero interest in, but it wasn’t wasted time. Being near Kara gave Lena the chance to observe her and learn her likes and dislikes, and her mannerisms.</p><p>“I have Netflix and I have a collection of Disney DVDs,” Kara shared, moving around toward the remote. “Oh, and I also have some romcoms that I personally really like and some other things. I used to have Harry Potter, but the author of the books said some not so nice things, so I no longer have those. I have Lord of The Rings, although those are technically Alex’s. I also have a bunch of movies with animals because Mister Jingles really likes those and we watch them together all the time. But…I should probably stop talking and ask what kind of movies you like.”</p><p>Lena couldn’t contain her chuckle. Kara’s voice was by far the best sound to reach Lena’s ears without causing frustration, aside from the few occasions where Kara yelled, which physically hurt. Lena preferred listening over speaking and if it was up to her, Kara could go on all night.</p><p>“Darling,” Lena sighed softly. “I enjoy your ramblings, even if you decide to read a book aloud to me or the options on a menu-card.”</p><p>“You’re really, really nice,” Kara said, clutching a hand to her chest. “Be still, my heart,” she whispered, eyes dreamy and sparkling. “Can you pinch me? I’m not sure I’m awake,” she laughed.</p><p>Pinching a human was never a good idea unless Kara wished to end up with a bruise or even a broken bone. Lena felt completely enthralled by Kara; it was the oddest sensation, a need for closeness and connection that touched Lena’s soul.</p><p>“Don’t move,” Lena instructed gently as she inched closer in the most ridiculously slow pace.</p><p>Kara’s heartbeat spiked. She stood still, eyes following Lena and right before Lena kissed Kara on the forehead, Kara closed her eyes.</p><p>Lena ghosted her fingertips down Kara’s cheek, almost too afraid to touch her. “Are you awake now?” Lena queried, eyes on Kara’s as they fluttered open with the grace of a butterfly.</p><p>“Did I faint and go to heaven?”</p><p>
  <em>I am no angel, darling. </em>
</p><p>Kara cleared her throat, but her blush stayed right where it was. With a smile and a whisper, she excused herself to the kitchen and reemerged with a bowl of popcorn. “Sit, sit,” she urged, bobbing her head at the couch. “Make yourself at home. Mi casa es su casa.”</p><p>“Gracias por tu hospitalidad, (thank you for your hospitality)” Lena responded in kind. She raised an eyebrow when Kara staggered and almost dropped the popcorn.</p><p>“You speak Spanish?” Kara gasped, putting the bowl down, although Lena preferred it gone.</p><p>“Si,” Lena nodded. “Don’t you?”</p><p>“Um, no, it’s a common phrase. I picked it up from my sister, I think,” Kara answered, frowning as she sat down on the couch. “You seem to know many languages.”</p><p>“A few,” Lena agreed, which she had her books and her travels to thank for.</p><p>Immortals rarely stuck to one language when there were so many to explore. Whenever it was light out, they had to keep themselves occupied indoors one way or another. Some found a passion for musical instruments, others for literature, and so on. As a being of the night, adapting to one’s native tongue was easier when spending years if not decades in a foreign country than presenting as a tourist. The latter drew too much unwanted attention.</p><p>Lena’s senses were suddenly on heightened alert when the cat jumped onto Kara’s lap. But the purring machine paid no attention to Lena.</p><p>“No Cats &amp; Dogs tonight, Mister Jingles,” Kara told the fuzzball, kissing the top of his head. “Tonight Lena gets to choose what she wants to watch.”</p><p>
  <em>You, Kara. I choose you. </em>
</p><p>“I’ll follow your lead,” Lena insisted. “Please, I chose our activity last time.”</p><p>“Right…the fun one with your bicycle,” Kara hummed, turning on Netflix. “I mean, I did have fun, but it was also a bit scary going down that hill on your bicycle.”</p><p>It wasn’t Lena’s, but some things were better off secret. Plus, she did return it later that night because as a vampire she had no purpose to keep such a trinket.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lucy knocked on the door of the cellar. With the back of her hand, she wiped at a smudge of blood on her chin from her brief visit to the hospital. That poor old woman mistook her for an angel due to her blonde locks and her white gown and begged her to be put out of her misery. Lucy was there to steal blood, not to kill, but she couldn’t let a living being suffer so.</p><p>“Password?” Leslie asked, close to the other side of the door if her heartbeat was any indication of that.</p><p>Lucy smiled, they had practiced this. “Knock, knock.”</p><p>The lock clicked and Leslie stumbled out. She fell into Lucy’s arms, hugging her. “Fuck, Luce, I missed you,” Leslie breathed out.</p><p>Lucy’s hand came up to stroke Leslie’s hair, slightly overwhelmed by her fragrance, which reminded Lucy of flowers in bloom in spring. “You were supposed to say ‘who’s there?,’” she pointed out with a hum. “And then I would tell you-”</p><p>“I know,” Leslie sighed, backing away, smiling. “It’s so good to see you.”</p><p>“You flatter me,” Lucy replied, resting a hand atop her heart in awe.</p><p>Leslie’s hands shook and she shoved them in her pockets. But even so, her struggle remained visible to Lucy, and it hurt seeing someone so dear to her in a fight with demons Lucy couldn’t take away for Leslie.</p><p>“How did your first sobriety meeting go?” Lucy questioned, reaching out to take Leslie’s hands in hers.</p><p>“I hated it,” Leslie laughed dryly. “I couldn’t stop bouncing my leg and I felt like everyone was staring at me, and it sucked.”</p><p>“I can accompany you next time,” Lucy offered.</p><p>Leslie swallowed, palms clammy to the touch. “You’d do that for me?” she whispered, eyes darting around.</p><p>“It is scheduled in the evening, correct?”</p><p>“Yea, it’s dark out when I go,” Leslie confirmed, breaths coming out somewhat shallow. “Kinda ran into Lena after my meeting. She’s sure intense lately, but anyway you’d really do that for me?”</p><p>Lucy furrowed her brows. She wasn’t appreciative of Lena’s tough love approach, not when Leslie fought so hard to survive and didn’t deserve a verbal beat down. Shifting her focus back to the present, Lucy made a mental note of having a word with Lena.</p><p>“I would do anything for you, Lesleanna.”</p><p>“Anything,” Leslie repeated, biting her lip. “So if I asked you to kiss me…”</p><p>Lucy revealed a smile. “Ask and thou shall receive,” she promised, brushing Leslie’s nose with hers, slowly fitting their lips together.</p><p>“I have one important question I’ve been meaning to ask,” Leslie stated, clearing her throat. “Can I take you out on a proper date?”</p><p>Lucy knew it was biologically impossible, but she swore her heart doubled in size. “Yes,” she answered, leaning in for another kiss.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara put the remote down and turned her head to look at Lena. “So…,” Kara began, eyes flitting down the space between them, but the second Lena moved to sit next to her, Kara smiled. “I was wondering if you’re on the gram.”</p><p>Lena tilted her head to the side. “Should I be?”</p><p>Mister Jingles stretched out his legs, nails of his front paws digging into Lena’s slacks. Lovely, another pair to burn later and curse about.</p><p>
  <em>1-2, but this isn’t over, sneaky minx. </em>
</p><p>“Instagram is a great app, lots of people are on it. Your favorite artist might be, too,” Kara said as she fished her cellular device out of the front pocket of her shirt, although Lena was certain that guy was busy being dead. “Here, I’ll show you,” Kara went on, lifting the thing up for Lena to see.</p><p>Immediately, Lena was greeted by photograph after photograph of that fluffy rat. Wasn’t she in enough agony yet, stuffing popcorn in her pockets whenever Kara wasn’t looking so she could pretend she was enjoying a snack as a human would? Those sticky things were filthy.</p><p>“This is Mister Jingles as Toothless.”</p><p>
  <em>If only he was. </em>
</p><p>“How sweet,” Lena hummed, glancing down at the cat, who shamelessly continued his destruction on her clothing. “Perhaps you should add a video of him bathing next.”</p><p>“Oh no, no, no,” Kara laughed, shaking her head. “He hates water, most cats do. He likes to watch me wherever I go, but he never gets in the tub or the shower with me.”</p><p>
  <em>I would. 2-2, puss. </em>
</p><p>“Nothing like a shower or drawing a bath with essential oils and scented candles,” Lena mused, and while most aromas were far from pleasant, anything that resembled nature was lovely and calming.</p><p>Thanks to Lucy, Lena discovered the pleasure of soaking in milk and rose petals. Lucy swore it rejuvenated her skin before she became immortal, which reminded Lena she never bothered to ask if Lucy wished to speak of her past, simply because Lena didn’t, and therefore ignored others possibly felt different.</p><p>Lena clapped her hands over her ears when a loud beeping sound broke the tranquility of her date with Kara more than the cat had.</p><p>“Sorry, my laundry must be done,” Kara spoke while she shot up, gasping when her cat tumbled to the floor. “Oh my God, Mister Jingles, are you okay?”</p><p>Mister Jingles got back up on his three paws and looked up at Kara, tail wagging back and forth.</p><p>
  <em>Eight lives left. Seven if I step on you. </em>
</p><p>“I’ll be right back,” Kara promised, holding up her hands. “I just need to turn it off and then we can watch, um, Elisa y Marcela. It’s a Spanish movie, so I hope you don’t mind if add English subtitles. I’ve been meaning to watch it since Imra – my best friend – told me about it and recommended it to me.”</p><p>Lena shut her eyes and relaxed when the noise stopped. She reopened them when Kara’s footsteps returned, stuffed a fistful of popcorn in her pocket, and moved her jaw, moaning softly.</p><p>“Are you having a good time?” Kara asked, grasping the back of her couch, trembling slightly as she sat down. “A fun time, I mean,” she said, grabbing some popcorn. “Do you like moa- popcorn? Do you like popcorn!” Her cheeks flushed bright red.</p><p>Lena didn’t even have to try to lie as Kara spluttered some more and rambled about the movie when she put it on, all the while Lena knew Kara heard her moan because that was the point. But Kara’s response was nothing but a pleasurable addition. In a true act of wickedness, Lena licked her fingers clean from the hand she hadn’t used to touch the popcorn. In the corner of her eye, she caught Kara gawking at her.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t have to ask to know you’re thirsty.</em>
</p><p>The movie was forgotten somewhere after the first half. Lena and Kara stared at each other while Kara’s hand rested on Lena’s thigh. If she wasn’t a vampire, she would move without hesitation, kiss Kara, and carry her to bed. Alas, the passion Lena held within was too dangerous to let out.</p><p>“I lost track of time,” Lena lied for both of their sakes. “I should go.”</p><p>“Wait! Wait, before you go…”</p><p>Kara’s heartbeat sounded out of control. Her gaze flitted between Lena’s eyes and her lips, and Kara’s hands trailed up Lena’s arms, toward her shoulders, and finally her neck. She sat like a statue, waiting for Kara’s next move. The intensity posed a challenge for Lena to keep inhaling and exhaling air she didn’t need.</p><p>Kara’s lips touched Lena’s cheek, getting the corner of her mouth as well.</p><p>“Be careful on your way home, Lena,” Kara whispered, leaning away. “I’ll see you again soon?”</p><p>Lena wished more than anything she could crash her lips against Kara’s, but she couldn’t. Lena’s strength was too unpredictable and she wasn’t sure she could control her thirst either.</p><p>“Soon,” Lena promised with a nod. “I shall think of you in my every waking moment until then.”</p><p>Kara ducked her head, chin resting on her left shoulder as she smiled like a total dork. “I think about you when I’m awake as well and even when I’m sleeping,” she blurted out, spontaneously blushing. “Neutral romantic dreams that are totally, eh, neutral,” she coughed, averting her eyes.</p><p>“Good night, darling,” Lena uttered, heading to the door. “And you should know, I have those thoughts about you, too,” she winked before vanishing into the night.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The 'not so nice things' reference about J.K Rowling is in reference to a transphobic tweet she sent out into the world. And that's not the end of Rowling's problematic behavior. </p><p>Side-note: in many fanfics, I wrote a good friendship between Leslie and Lena to the point I started shipping them. So I used a loophole in this one by setting up Leslie with Lucy :-) <br/>Not sure if anyone else cares about the Leslie/Lucy interactions sprinkled around, but I do.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara picked up a daisy and removed its petals one by one, asking whether Lena was interested in a relationship or not. Nearing the last one, Kara sighed and let it go, thinking it was too silly and hopeless. Her heart did weird things whenever Lena crossed her mind; Kara felt it jump through hoops, followed by summersaults.</p><p>Liking someone so much was rare, at least for Kara. With high school included, she only had four relationships, and the first one ended after a week when the girl she was with went back to Australia after summer camp ended. The second one was with a guy who dumped her right before prom because he wasn’t interested in dancing with her. And it only went downhill after that, ending with Kara’s last ex who was a total jerk.</p><p>But Lena was different. She let Kara talk and be herself without putting her down, and most importantly, she liked how being around Lena made her feel better about herself. Something about Lena’s eyes and words carried out wisdom and maturity, which was attractive.</p><p>Kara let her heart speak through a song. “Birds flying high, you know how I feel,” she uttered, swaying her hips with every step, careless of the fact it was broad daylight and everyone could see her. “Sun in the sky,” she sang even louder, pointing up. “You know how I fee-”</p><p>“Get off the road, lunatic!” someone yelled, honking their car.</p><p>With a brief apology, Kara jumped toward the sidewalk. She had no idea she strayed from her path and unfortunately she didn’t have Lena near her this time to pull her to safety.</p><p>
  <em>I’m clumsy. Maybe I should get that on a t-shirt and get Lena a matching one.</em>
</p><p>Kara felt her cheeks heat up at the image of Lena wearing an ‘I’m with clumsy’ t-shirt. It was probably too soon for that, but dreaming didn’t hurt. Except for last night, when Kara had sex with Lena in her dreams again and fell out of bed.</p><p>
  <em>Ooh, my shirt could have if found return to Lena on the back. </em>
</p><p>Concentrating on where she wanted to go, Kara took a few measured breaths and paid close attention to what was ahead of her. She had two hours to spare, in which she also needed to get some food into her stomach before going to work.</p><p>Despite almost getting hit by a car, nothing could ruin Kara’s day. Absolutely nothing. No matter what happened. Because she knew Lena was thinking about her and they almost shared a real kiss. Kara wanted to take the initiative to make the first move, but she decided to wait for Lena to do it so she would know it was real and something they both desired.</p><p>Kara passed by the white picket fence that led up to Eve and Andrea’s house, rubbing her hands together at the foresight of getting to see sweet Bowie again and check up on the kittens. Ringing the doorbell, Kara waited.</p><p>“Hi,” Kara spoke as soon as the door opened. “I’m Kara. Andrea said I could stop by?”</p><p>
  <em>Her number is in my contacts, I can prove it.</em>
</p><p>Kara found it difficult not to bounce a little on her legs, thinking about the cute little bottle babies she was eager to see. Andrea said she was allowed to visit, so surely it was fine.</p><p>“Hello, Kara, pleased to meet you,” the teenager greeted, extending their hand. Such a well-mannered kid! “I’m Barney,” they said with a sigh, “for now.”</p><p>Kara’s brows crinkled together, but she shook their hand and smiled. It wasn’t her business to ask them what they meant by that.</p><p>Barney guided Kara into the living room, where Bowie who usually came running to say hello, lied down in his basket, eyes focused on the three sleeping kittens who were curled up against him. The sight of the four of them together like that melted Kara’s heart.</p><p>
  <em>I want to hug them all. </em>
</p><p>“Hey, Bowie,” Kara whispered, crouching down to pet him. “Aren’t you the sweetest papa bear, hm? You’re such a good boy,” she cooed, smiling when Bowie licked her hand. “I’ve heard you’re taking really good care of the kittens.”</p><p>“The orange striped one is Eeny Meeny,” Barney shared, pointing at the smallest kitten of the bunch. “The white one with a bit of orange is Miny, and the black one is their brother, Moe.”</p><p>“They’re so cute I could eat them up. Do you have any pets, Barney?”</p><p>Barney shook their head. “My father says animals bring diseases. He doesn’t want me to become a veterinarian. Friendly neighbors offer me jobs to help pay for my studies.”</p><p>
  <em>So this is why Andrea started talking about me getting a pet sitter for Mister Jingles. I shouldn’t have interrupted her. </em>
</p><p>A small gasp escaped Kara’s lips. It was horrible Barney’s father wasn’t supportive and had such misguided views about pets. “I have a cat…,” Kara began while she fumbled around for her phone to take a picture of the adorable kittens and to show off hers. “His name is Mister Jingles and he loves food and dressing up. I’m not always home, so if you have any time left to drop by sometime…”</p><p>“I can’t.”</p><p>“O-oh,” Kara frowned.</p><p>“I don’t have your address.”</p><p>“Right, ah, you don’t,” Kara admitted, blinking her eyes. “I’ll give you my address, so you’ll…have it,” she concluded with a slow nod. “And then you can watch Mister Jingles sometime?”</p><p>Barney took out their wallet and handed Kara a card. “I had these made,” they explained, tapping the information written on it. “Aside from pet sitting, I also walk dogs, mown lawns, and babysit children.”</p><p>Kara didn’t have a dog or a yard or a child, but she was willing to pass it on to her friends and family, to help Barney achieve their dream.</p><p>“You’d love Pepper,” Kara smiled. “He loves going on walks.”</p><p>
  <em>But the shelter doesn’t pay volunteers. </em>
</p><p>Being in Andrea and Eve’s house made Kara notice they touched up the place a bit with photographs and other means of decoration. “I love how homey they have made it here,” she spoke with a soft sigh, admiring the plants and a framed picture of Eve and Andrea’s wedding day. “Those flowers are beautiful,” Kara hummed, glancing at a vase in the center of the dining table, filled with white roses.</p><p>“They’re not real,” Barney told Kara.</p><p>Kara still found them pretty and in her eyes, they tied the room together. After exchanging Alex’s phone number, in case her sister wanted a night out with Kelly while Kara wasn’t available, she left to grab some food on her way to work.</p><p>Her day was wonderful so far and Kara felt it could only get better.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Wh-what do you mean…Pepper is gone?”</p><p>“Someone came by half an hour ago,” Eve said while she paged through a stack of forms. “I showed her around and Pepper was the dog she wanted.”</p><p>Kara swallowed and while it was lovely news Pepper finally had a shot at his forever home, she felt saddened she didn’t get to say goodbye. And it was unfair to be anything but happy for him of course, but part of Kara wished she could have personally vetted the person who adopted him to make sure that woman was a right fit for such a special boy, even though she didn’t doubt Eve was thorough and wouldn’t let animals end up in the hands of whoever walked through the door first.</p><p>
  <em>I should have come in sooner. </em>
</p><p>“What kind of person was she?” Kara queried, chewing her lip, hovering around. “Was she friendly? Did she hug Pepper? Does she have any other pets?”</p><p>For all she knew, Pepper’s new owner had another dog, one that might get jealous and try to bite him. Kara hated not knowing where that sweet boy ended up. This wasn’t the kind of news she expected to hear today and it was tough to put a smile on her face when she was tempted to bite off her nails and assume the worst. She should be ecstatic, but her buddy was with a stranger now and she had no idea whom.</p><p>“Kara,” Eve spoke. She grasped Kara’s hand and squeezed softly. “Breathe,” Eve insisted, audibly inhaling and exhaling, nodding at Kara to follow her lead.</p><p>Kara did her best to mirror her colleague. She knew it was part of her job to be told an animal or a few were adopted during her free time. It happened and it was something she had to deal with, something she needed to toughen up about.</p><p>“The woman who came by said she was looking for a best friend. She was worried she wasn’t good enough and told me about all the things she bought. She got six different types of kibble, Kara. Six, in case the pet she hoped to find was allergic to some types or had a specific taste. When I showed her Pepper, she knelt down and they clicked. She laughed and told me people find her salty most of the time, so she said she had to get Pepper to complete her salt. And when I told her she could adopt him, she cried.”</p><p>Kara felt tears well up in her eyes, knowing if she had been in Eve’s shoes, she would have approved of that woman, too. “I hope she stops by for an update sometime,” Kara chuckled wetly, thinking about how some people did and gave them photographs for their collage on the wall.</p><p>
  <em>I’m going to miss you, Pepper. </em>
</p><p>“Is it crazy I’m sad?” Kara asked, drying her eyes with her hands.</p><p>“I spent five minutes locking myself in the bathroom during my lunch break.”</p><p>Kara chuckled along with Eve. God, they were hopelessly mushy and way too soft to say goodbye to the animals they took care of. So much so, it wouldn’t surprise Kara if Eve wound up permanently adopting Eeny Meeny, Miny, and Moe. Those three cuties already fit in so well in Eve’s home.</p><p>“Okay,” Kara whispered, taking a deep breath. “Time to find homes for our other furry friends,” she said with dedication. “What’s our current capacity?”</p><p>“We’re at ninety-seven percent that’s taken. But, we need to buckle up because I got a tip from a volunteer at a shelter, where they plan on putting thirty cats to sleep because they can’t keep up with all of the litters.”</p><p>Kara clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “If we’re at ninety-seven percent of our capacity then that means we have…,” she hummed and narrowed her eyes. “Only nine spots left,” she concluded with a heavy heart.</p><p>“Not the first time we went over,” Eve pointed out, putting the paperwork aside. “I’ll get the van.”</p><p>Kara nodded. “I’ll get the cages. Let’s rescue those pets.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara sobbed with a bottle in one hand and a cookie in the other. She was in the privacy of her home, alone, except for Mister Jingles letting her know he was there too as he munched on his kibble. Kara took a swig, but she didn’t enjoy her root beer the way she usually did. Everything tasted bland, even the freshly baked chocolate chip cookie she picked up at Noonan’s.</p><p>Eve was an excellent driver. They had done everything right to get to that shelter, but it was all for naught. Kara hated it when that happened. It broke her; so much so, she lashed out at the people working there. She knew they didn’t have the capacity to handle the incoming flow of strays and that technically they hadn’t done anything illegal, but she still called them murderers. Not every shelter had a no-kill policy the way Kara’s did, but she knew every person working at one had a heart for animals, even at those where sometimes they had to put cats and dogs to sleep.</p><p>They were so close. Kara felt fresh tears sting her eyes. Today, she couldn’t catch a break, marking what was meant to be a good day as one of the worst she ever had. Now, nothing could cheer her up, not even a cuddle from her cat.</p><p>
  <em>I should break out my emergency double fudge chocolate ice cream. </em>
</p><p>Kara made it halfway to her freezer when someone knocked on her door. She didn’t order pizza and Alex was at home with Jamie, probably wriggling her into her pajamas, about to read her a bedtime story. With a hopeful glint in her eyes, Kara opened the door.</p><p>On the other side, Lena waited with a helmet in her hands.</p><p>“Ready for another adventure?” Lena asked, fingers tapping against the thick plastic.</p><p>Kara gulped. “Do you know how to drive one of those?” she checked, feet a little unsteady at the mere thought of cruising through the streets on the back of a motorcycle.</p><p>
  <em>Alex would be so jealous right now. </em>
</p><p>“I swear on my life my precision will astound you,” Lena answered, pressing her free hand up against her chest. “Though, before we go outside,” she added, eyes focused. “You appear upset. What happened?”</p><p>Kara bit her lip. She stopped crying, although her eyes were probably red and maybe a bit puffy, which gave her away. “Another shelter put down thirty cats I meant to save,” she shared, releasing every bit of air from her lungs.</p><p>Lena lowered the helmet and set it down on the floor. She opened her arms, fingers beckoning Kara to come close, and she did. Kara let herself fall into Lena’s embrace, crushing her arms around Lena’s torso, hoping she wasn’t making it too hard for Lena to breathe.</p><p>Kara didn’t feel Lena’s arms wrap around her, which was weird, but the gesture was sweet. A hug was exactly what Kara needed most, more than words of comfort or someone telling her how sorry they felt for her.</p><p>“I hate the circle of life,” Kara said with a bitter laugh. “If people don’t want to have a litter of kittens, they should neuter their cats.”</p><p>“We can stay indoors,” Lena offered, and finally, her arms came up as Kara felt Lena rub her back.</p><p>“No, I think I need some air. I think it’ll be good for me,” Kara decided, breaking away, wiping at the tears that escaped her. “But…don't break any speed limits,” she joked with a sincere chuckle.</p><p>“I shall do my best not to,” Lena responded, and the seriousness in her voice scared Kara.</p><p>
  <em>Please say sike. </em>
</p><p>Kara grabbed her coat and followed Lena outside, still waiting for a sign she was kidding. Unfortunately, Lena didn’t take her words back and started the engine of her motorcycle. Seeing her swing one leg over it before sitting down, straddling the saddle, turned up the heat for Kara.</p><p>God, Kara couldn’t take this sexless life much longer. Not with Lena around, the living embodiment of a temptress with the smile of the devil. Kara told her ovaries to hush and put on the helmet, settling behind Lena.</p><p>“Hold on tight!” Lena called out, which Kara did with the utmost pleasure.</p><p>Nothing turned her frown upside down the way getting to see Lena again did. For those cherished dates, Kara didn’t mind a motorcycle ride, a detail that would shock her sister, who knew Kara steadfastly refused to get on one until tonight. But feeling the wind blow through her hair while Lena zigzagged through traffic with the grace of a cat distracted Kara.</p><p>Kara smiled as she watched everything they passed. It felt freeing and exhilarating, but despite her initial fear being gone, her arms remained wrapped around Lena’s waist, and the fact she brushed Lena’s thighs every few seconds made Kara gulp.</p><p>
  <em>Thank god for the noise of the motor drowning out me practically moaning. </em>
</p><p>When Lena leaned to the right, Kara followed her like two peas in a pod. She lived in the moment, letting go of the parts of the past that held her back, something Lena brought out in her. Kara didn’t want the night to end and even more so she wanted Lena to place her hands on her hips and kiss her.</p><p>Lena pulled over at the beach. “After you, milady,” she spoke, extending a hand, facing her palm upward.</p><p>With some trouble, Kara clambered off the motorcycle, holding on to Lena’s hand, and wow, she really wasn’t kidding about always having cold hands. Having driven without gloves likely didn’t help, but Kara wasn’t going to obsess over that detail.</p><p>“It’s dark out here,” Kara noted, straining her eyes to catch glimpses of the water in the distance.</p><p>Unlike the streets, the beach didn’t have lights. It wasn’t pitch black outside just yet, but dark enough for Kara not to be able to see further than a few steps ahead of her. She hadn’t been near the ocean since the summer before the last one when she went on a road trip of sorts with Alex.</p><p>Okay no, that was a lie. Kara found out about a pie-eating contest in Cali and a hotdog eating contest in NY, and she begged Alex to take her to both so she could participate. Kara didn’t win anything, but she had fun, and she got to smack a pie into her sister’s face. The memory made her smile and she hoped that one day, she would get the chance to share an experience like that with Lena.</p><p>Lena took off her shoes and chucked them to the side with a sigh. “Better,” she whispered, toes digging in the sand.</p><p>
  <em>Was she not wearing socks?</em>
</p><p>Kara stared down at Lena’s feet, and since she didn’t want sand in her shoes, she followed Lena’s lead. And then Kara got rid of her socks, too.  “Chilly,” she said, hopping from one foot onto the other.</p><p>The temperature was reasonable, kind of like setting foot in a lukewarm bath, but Kara loved the warmth. In the summertime, her sister often thought she lost her marbles for the way she huddled under a blanket.</p><p>Lena lifted her hands and placed them on Kara’s elbows. “Are you cold?” Lena asked, moving her hands to unzip her jacket. “This might help you preserve some heat,” she uttered as she very slowly shrugged out of her jacket, almost as if she didn’t want to, and held it out to Kara with a smile.</p><p>Kara opened her mouth because wearing two coats seemed ridiculous, but she shut it again due to how much Lena cared. “Thank you,” Kara replied, hugging Lena’s jacket, inhaling deeply. “Won’t you be cold now?” Kara reconsidered, chewing the inside of her cheek.</p><p>“With you by my side, I’ll forever feel warmth where it matters,” Lena answered oh so charmingly without sounding the least bit cocky or full of herself. </p><p>
  <em>Please kiss me. </em>
</p><p>It was the sincerity in Lena’s voice and the truth in her eyes that really did Kara in to hopelessly crush on Lena. Kara crossed her fingers, hoping that this date would be the one where they got to kiss. People did say three times was a charm, and this was officially their third date.</p><p>“Shall we?” Lena offered, holding out her hand.</p><p>Kara’s fingers found Lena’s with ease, interlocking. She loved how having a romantic stroll on the beach became a reality and how Lena planned dates Kara never had before, making each experience all the more unique.</p><p>“Ooh, we could build a sandcastle,” Kara suggested with a chuckle. “And we could make sand angels. You know, like snow angels, but in the sand. Oh-oh, if we dig a hole with our hands, we can wait for it to fill up with water and use it as a little footbath.”</p><p>Lena’s eyes twinkled, set on Kara, smiling at everything she said, which increased her enthusiasm to share ideas with Lena.</p><p>“I swear I’m mature most times,” Kara laughed, blushing when Lena simply kept staring at her.</p><p>But after a beat of silence, Lena did speak.</p><p>“I fancy you the way you are.”</p><p>“Do you believe in soulmates?” Kara blurted out, thinking back to one of her dreams she had about Lena.</p><p>“Soulmates,” Lena repeated, eyebrows creasing together. “I stumbled upon that term in a book. It is believed by some, humans originated in pairs, bound in one body, with one soul. But Zeus, fearing their powers, split them in two, condemning them to wander the earth in search of their long lost soulmate, to become one again,” she shared, arm relaxed as Kara swung hers lightly. “Personally,” Lena added, “I believe love is not based on a preexisting connection between two souls. It is a feeling, awakened by someone you never thought existed in the same universe, and it begins with a small sense of warmth reaching your heart, slowly spreading out to map your entire being. That is love, to me.”</p><p>Kara’s lips parted, awed by Lena’s definition. The feeling Lena described was one Kara felt since she met Lena. It was a spark at first, but by now Kara felt a strong flame, and maybe that was what falling in love was all about. The way Lena said it struck Kara as spoken from experience, strengthening her hope they shared mutual feelings for one another.</p><p>
  <em>I really fancy you too, Lena. </em>
</p><p>Kara knelt down in the sand, laughing at how terrible her attempt at building a sandcastle was when she had no bucket to help her along the way. “Maybe you should start on the hole,” she suggested, poking her tongue out in concentration. “This might take a while, but I will build this castle or something remotely resembling one.”</p><p>“I want to try something,” Lena said, crouching down. “Hold still.”</p><p>Kara listened so much she even held her breath. She felt Lena shuffle behind her, exhaling despite her efforts not to when Lena stuck out her arms next to Kara’s middle and grabbed her hands with hers.</p><p>“Are you…are we…?” Kara tried, shuddering at the contact. “Okay…”</p><p>
  <em>This feels like that scene in Ghost. I love it!</em>
</p><p>Together, they shaped a tower made out of sand, surrounded by smaller ones, before digging a hole. Kara felt her soul leave her body at the fact Lena kept sitting behind her, guiding Kara’s hands.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara whistled as she entered the gym. After last night, she was more than ready to box, not that she needed the release. And while no kiss happened, she enjoyed her date with Lena and found the slow pace refreshing. Kara liked how Lena took the time to get to know her without rushing into anything, although Kara really wanted to lock lips.</p><p>“Look what I finally have!” Kara announced, holding up her brand new boxing gloves. “They were on sale!”</p><p>“Consider yourself officially hooked to my favorite sport,” Imra replied, smiling.</p><p>Kara stepped onto the mat, put her gloves and her bottle of water down, and lifted her shirt over her head to reveal her sports bra, which was also on sale. She chuckled at Imra’s whistle when she playfully flexed her biceps.</p><p>“Glove up, partner,” Imra spoke, punching her fists together in front of her chest.</p><p>“Darn, I should have brought a cowboy hat,” Kara sighed, picking up her gloves.</p><p>“The only thing I love about Western stuff is their saloons.”</p><p>Kara wasn’t into any of it either, but she did enjoy dressing up for fun, especially on Halloween, her second favorite holiday of the year. The first spot was reserved for Christmas because of the joyful songs, the amazing food, the presents, and the time she got to spend among family and friends.</p><p>
  <em>I can’t wait to take Jamie trick or treating this year. </em>
</p><p>Kara cleared her throat and got into position. Distractions only led to bruises and wasting her best friend’s time, plus she wanted to be home around eight in case Lena came by again. Not knowing was exciting and frustrating at the same time, although Kara did love surprises.</p><p>“Let’s start with a jab, jab, hook, uppercut combo,” Imra suggested, getting in place in front of Kara.</p><p>“Jab, jab, hook, uppercut,” Kara repeated, nodding. “Got it,” she confirmed, lifting her fists to cover her face.</p><p>“We’ll do it two times slow and then one time fast, okay?”</p><p>Kara followed Imra’s lead, eyes trained on following the movements of Imra’s hands and feet. Whenever Imra closed in, Kara backed away, and when Imra stepped back, Kara closed in on her. She landed her punches against Imra’s gloved palms, mindful of keeping one fist near her face at all times.</p><p>Beads of sweat formed on Kara’s forehead and some trailed down her back. This was ten times better than going to one of her sister’s yoga classes, which was a lot harder than it looked, though nowhere near as fun as boxing.</p><p>“Time-out,” Kara called when her mouth felt dry.</p><p>“Five-minute break,” Imra said, reaching for her water, too. “Good job on keeping every detail in mind, by the way. Did you get rid of your pent up sexual frustration?”</p><p>Kara guffawed. “We haven’t even kissed yet!” she shared, lightly punching Imra’s shoulder.</p><p>“Damn, you may have found yourself a gentlewoman.”</p><p>“She took me to the beach last night,” Kara smiled. She twisted off the cap of her bottle and took a sip. “You know that romantic scene in ghost, the pottery one?”</p><p>“Kara, I’ve watched that movie with you at least a dozen times in college,” Imra pointed out, smiling back.</p><p>“Lena and I were like that scene…but with sand. We made a sandcastle together.”</p><p>“Awn, you two are adorable together. You should introduce me to her sometime.”</p><p>Kara nodded. She really should. But for now, it was a bit soon to invite Lena to meet her family and friends. Kara didn’t want to spring something like that onto Lena.</p><p>“Have you found out where she lives yet?” Imra questioned. “Or anything about her family, or at the very least her phone number?”</p><p>When Kara first ran into Lena, she did ask her if she had a sister, but Lena hadn’t answered. They hadn’t exchanged phone numbers because Kara meant to, but she kept forgetting. And she didn’t know where in National City Lena lived if she even had a place in the city to begin with. The more Kara thought about it, the more she realized how much basic information was lacking.</p><p>Kara bit her lip. “Um…no,” she answered, clearing her throat. “Can we continue? I kind of want to go home soon. I’d say it’s because of my cat, but it’s not. Mister Jingles is fine. I just want to take a shower when we’re done, sit on my couch, and if Lena comes over, pretend I wasn’t waiting for her, even though I was.”</p><p>Imra let out a chuckle. “Man, if that woman breaks your heart I’ll break her face.”</p><p>“Imra!” Kara gasped, shocked at the violent statement her best friend made. “You’re just as bad as Alex.”</p><p>“You’re family, Kara. And nobody messes with my family or else-”</p><p>“Okay, okay, I get it,” Kara laughed, holding up her hands.</p><p>They went on boxing, switching positions of who got to attack and who had to block. The only sound was their labored breathing, the shuffling of their feet, and the blows they landed.</p><p>Until someone clapped and caused them to jump apart.</p><p>Kara’s head whipped to her left, where a young woman – nay, a girl – had approached them. She mustn’t have heard her enter because she was too wrapped up in her training session with Imra.</p><p>The girl stood with her hip jutted to one side, her right arm draped across her body, clasping her left elbow. Her lips were painted black and matched her winged eyeliner. She had a choker around her neck and an air of mystery in the way she held herself, clad in all black with laced boots.</p><p>“Nicely done,” the girl spoke, all bubbly and energetic as she walked up to the pair. Her eyes were on Kara, but her whole posture shifted toward Imra when she glanced at her.</p><p>“You must work out often,” the girl praised, licking her lips. “I can tell you do,” she hummed, looking Imra up and down. “Mind if I give it a try?”</p><p>“There is a boxing class for beginners tomorrow at two,” Imra answered, eyes following the girl when the girl stepped into her space.</p><p>Kara had no idea what to say, but it all felt rather unsettling.</p><p>“No one on one?” the girl queried, so close to Imra, their noses almost touched. “I’m rather skilled with my hands,” the girl hushed, “and something tells me you are, too.”</p><p>Imra spared a smile. “Wouldn’t you like to find out?” she smirked. “If I fight you, you’ll be pinned onto the mat in no time.”</p><p>“Who says it won’t be the other way around?”</p><p>
  <em>I can’t watch this any longer. </em>
</p><p>Kara tugged Imra aside, forcing a smile aimed at the girl. “I think she’s a teenager,” Kara whispered as quietly as she could.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” Imra replied, “I’m not affected by her flirting and I think it’s cute.”</p><p>Kara knew her best friend wouldn’t run off with just anybody, but she didn’t want Imra to get into any trouble. Nobody was even supposed to be at the gym aside from them.</p><p>The girl continued and tried to talk Imra into a deal, where if they fought and the girl won, the girl would get to take Imra someplace special.</p><p>
  <em>That girl’s confidence is unnerving. </em>
</p><p>“Um, hi,” Kara interrupted. “You haven’t told us your name yet.”</p><p>“How rude of me,” the girl gasped, spinning around to face Kara. “I’m Nia, Lena’s sister.”</p><p>Kara’s eyes widened briefly at the new knowledge. “Oh, um, can I ask why Lena’s being aloof sometimes?” she blurted out. And it was random, but she wanted to know.</p><p>“She’s skittish, it’s nothing personal,” Nia answered with a shrug. “If you want, I can give you my number and text you embarrassing pictures of her.”</p><p>Kara chuckled and shook her head.</p><p>“I have to run along now,” Nia announced with a soft sigh. “It was lovely meeting you and I would appreciate it if this stays between us for now, Kara,” she said, holding out a piece of paper with a number scribbled on it. “In case you change your mind or if you have any questions,” she winked, and then she walked away.</p><p>Kara was too thrilled about the fact Lena had a sister too, to ponder how Nia knew she was at the gym or why Lena hadn’t mentioned her before.</p><p>Imra placed her hands on her hips. “How did your potential girlfriend’s baby sister know who you are?” she asked, frowning. “Don’t you find that a bit odd?”</p><p>“I…I don’t know. Maybe she saw me hang out with Lena.”</p><p>Imra rolled her lips into her mouth and shook her head. “My gut is telling me something’s not right,” she hummed, and while her instincts were often accurate, she seemed slightly paranoid this time. “Didn’t you tell me you felt like someone was stalking you?”</p><p>“Imra,” Kara groaned, tired enough of her sister’s overprotectiveness, not needing more of the same from her best friend. “I just met Lena’s sister, this is huge!”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kara was indeed being watched :-) </p><p>*plays sinister tunes*</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Leslie, you are a mortal,” Lena stated. “Put me on the Instagram,” she demanded, tossing the phone, box, plastic wrap and all, at Leslie’s head.</p><p>“Hey, careful with that,” Leslie replied as she lifted her hands up to cover her face, though not fast enough. Mortals were terribly slow. “Why are you suddenly interested in Instagram?”</p><p>“Why are you interested in my niece?” Lena quipped through narrowed eyes.</p><p>Leslie sighed, fingers prying at the box, taking off the plastic. “Since you have a phone now, how about a heads up before visiting next time?”</p><p>“I can smell it on you when you use. Hiding your poison does not work.”</p><p>“You know what, screw you,” Leslie snapped lowly, putting the box down. “If you can’t be nice I won’t help you anymore.”</p><p>Lena bit her tongue. She wasn’t bound to allow Leslie to speak to her in that manner, but simultaneously, Lena needed Leslie’s help to understand the gram Kara spoke so much about. It was an olive branch that was extended to Lena, all she had to do was accept it, and use it as a means to strengthen their connection.</p><p>
  <em>If this poor excuse of a human thinks I will say please and thanks, she has another thing coming. </em>
</p><p>Leslie was alive by Lena’s mercy and she ought to appreciate that more. She could have saved anyone she wanted from the streets, but she chose Leslie instead of letting her go hungry and without a roof above her head. Lena defended Leslie against Reign, made sure Leslie’s existence was allowed. And one day, Lena would set Leslie free from being her blood source, without consequences or cutting ties.</p><p>“I need this favor,” Lena uttered, carefully selecting her words. “And I know, this isn’t the first,” she acknowledged. “However, give me the Instagram-” She paused when Leslie snorted, which was rude. Lena was being genuine here. “And I shall…”</p><p>
  <em>Not strangle you for mocking me. </em>
</p><p>Lena dug her nails into the palm of her hands. “I shall grant you anything you wish for in return,” she offered, raising a brow for it surely was generous.</p><p>“Hmmm, anything,” Leslie mumbled, scratching her skin. “Okay, you’ve got yourself a deal,” she nodded. “And I’ll be taking a rain check on that wish I get.”</p><p>Lena felt this was something she was going to regret someday, although, for Kara, no price was too high to pay. Even if it meant pretending to be interested in photographs of that evil spawn of hers.</p><p>“Sit your ass down next to me,” Leslie said, patting the floor with her left hand. “I’ll show you how this works. Oh, and just for the record, it’s called Instagram, not the Instagram.”</p><p>Lena was already bored just listening to that. How she was supposed to work a cellular device without breaking it was a mystery to her, although the store clerk told her the one she bought didn’t break easily if she were to drop it, and in case he lied, she knew where to find that pimple popper.</p><p>Leslie hummed a melody while her fingers typed away, setting the clock and adding a number under the name of ‘the real o.g.’</p><p>Lena decided not asking was easier to avoid a headache. She could tell it was Leslie’s contact information, however, she had no idea what o.g meant. Those weren’t Leslie’s initials and they weren’t a blood type either. </p><p>“Hey, boy,” Leslie cooed, glancing away from the screen when her dog climbed onto her lap. “Who’s the peppa to my salt?” she laughed, wrapping her free arm around him.</p><p>“You and Pepper are bonding well, then?” Lena questioned, staring at the dog as he licked her hand.</p><p>
  <em>Do not put your germs on me. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah, we’re buds,” Leslie answered, smooching the top of Pepper’s head. “Aren’t we, Pepper? Yes, you’re such a good boy. Such a good boy-ie-woy.”</p><p>Lena was less than impressed. She didn’t understand why mortals spoke to animals in such a ridiculous way, altering their voice. But the dog seemed happy and he had a human now, which was what Kara wanted. There was something about Kara’s need to help the broken Lena couldn’t quite fathom, although if she looked at Leslie, maybe they had more in common than she initially believed.</p><p>Lena’s family was dysfunctional, as was the human she kept afloat for more than a decade. Then again, she had none of Kara’s purity and not even half the heart she did.</p><p>Leslie laughed when Pepper licked her face. “Y’know, if you want I can hold on to him as long as you want, to keep him safe from the murder twins,” she told Lena with a shrug.</p><p>Lena doubted that was Leslie’s real motive. “Perhaps I wasn’t clear last time,” Lena spoke, which amid her anger might have gone lost. “This dog is yours now. You are to take good care of him.”</p><p>“Oh, you betcha,” Leslie nodded, hugging the dog. “I’ll be taking him out for a walk soon. I’ve got this Frisbee that he likes, so when I throw it he-”</p><p>Lena held up her hand. “I have places to be,” she said, although it was only one. “Do I have Instagram on my phone?”</p><p>“Just a sec, here,” Leslie replied, picking up the dog and placing him onto Lena’s lap.</p><p>
  <em>How dare she assume this is allowed? </em>
</p><p>Lena moved her face as far away from the dog as she could. Pepper stared at Lena with the only eye he had and waggled his tail.</p><p>“Hmm,” Lena whispered, lowering a hand in slow motion, for she didn’t know how fragile or strong the animal was. “Good boy?” she tried, patting his head.</p><p>Pepper bumped his wet nose against Lena’s palm before curling up on her lap.</p><p>
  <em>Kara should trade her giant rat for one of these. </em>
</p><p>“There, all set,” Leslie announced, holding out the phone. “I put the Instagram icon on your home screen, here, at the top left, so you can open it whenever you want by clicking on it, and you can follow others. Just type a name in the search bar and you’ll find people.”</p><p>Leslie went on for a solid fifteen minutes, explaining the ins and outs of Instagram, and when Lena left, she wasn’t much wiser on how it all worked. Perhaps she should have kept up with the times as technology advanced, but such mortal inventions were tedious.</p><p>It was bad enough when humans decided simply knocking on someone’s door was no longer good enough, and instead turned it into the worst musical by adding a doorbell.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Act casual. Blink, slow your movements, breathe, and repeat. </em>
</p><p>Lena raised her fist and knocked twice. The first one went well, but the second one chipped a piece of wood off of the door. So much for self-restraint, although it wasn’t like she wasn’t bloody trying to keep that thing intact.</p><p>“Coming!” Kara yelled. Her heartbeat sounded nearby, somewhere near the television area if Lena had to venture a guess.</p><p>Mortals and their zombie ways of staring at a screen for hours, watching all sorts of things, was forever strange to Lena. Why not appreciate art instead? Humans had the loveliest museums and exhibitions, the latter Lena managed to attend more due to its late schedules coinciding with her ties to the night.</p><p>
  <em>To each their own. </em>
</p><p>Kara swung the door open and the second their eyes met, she smiled at Lena with a beauty no artist could ever capture on canvas.</p><p>Lena was thankful Kara’s attention was on her rather than on the piece of the door which went missing. “Hello, Kara,” she greeted, exhaling a breath.</p><p>“Hey, Lena,” Kara replied while her whole face lit up. “Do you want to come in or should I come out? Or do you want to come in first and then go out together? Not that I’m assuming you’re here to stay or go somewhere with me, although I suppose I kind of am.”</p><p>
  <em>Stop being so kissable, it’s unbearable. </em>
</p><p>“I was wondering if you would do me the pleasure of joining me on a walk through the park,” Lena said, extending a hand while the other was folded behind her back. “It is lovely outside.”</p><p>“I’d love to walk through the park with you!” Kara beamed, placing her hand in Lena’s, and the second she did, her cheeks tinged red. “Maybe we can sit down near the pond,” Kara suggested, shutting her door with her free hand. “It’s where we first met.”</p><p>Lena gasped. “What happened to your door?” she questioned, not wanting to take any chances in case Kara’s focus shifted enough to notice the damage.</p><p>Kara’s gaze shifted toward Lena. “What do you mean what happened…,” Kara trailed off, looking at her door. “Gosh, no,” she whispered, gaping at the knuckle shaped hole. “Now I won’t get my full deposit back,” she sighed, shoulders slumping. “Which is no problem,” she added with a smile, but her eyes didn’t sparkle. “Sometimes things don’t last, but plenty of other stuff does.”</p><p>
  <em>I am deeply sorry, my darling. </em>
</p><p>“I can lend you money if you are ever in need,” Lena offered, and what she should be doing was fix that door, but she was more of a destroyer than a creator.</p><p>
  <em>Everything I touch withers away sooner or later. </em>
</p><p>Lena pushed her feelings down, something that formed little to no effort for a vampire, although around Kara her mood was easily afflicted. Guilt was an everlasting burden Lena was forced to stomach, which grew heavier every time her self-restraint slipped.</p><p>Kara pried Lena’s fingers apart, lacing hers in between, warmth mixing with cold.</p><p>Lena turned to smile at Kara, relieved she learned how to hold hands with a human without inflicting pain. But before she drowned in those pacific blues, Lena led Kara toward the park, where they indeed met for the first time.</p><p>“I like this,” Kara hummed, swinging their joined arms back and forth, something she always seemed to do. “I like spending time with you and you have no idea how much I look forward to seeing you again every time. Sometimes I find myself counting down the minutes to when I’m guessing you’ll be at my door.”</p><p>
  <em>Kara, darling, I count each second until the day no longer imprisons me so I can see you and hold your hand.</em>
</p><p>Lena wished she could voice her thoughts, but she couldn’t without revealing her nature. She lifted Kara’s hand to her mouth, shaky in her movement as she pressed her lips to Kara’s knuckles. “I know precisely how many steps it takes to walk from my door to yours,” Lena shared because the devil knew she counted them as well as how long it took at a human’s pace.</p><p>Kara stopped walking, even though the sign to cross the street was green. “Before I forget to ask, can I have your phone number?” she queried, chewing her lip. “Then I can call you sometime during the day if you’re not too busy.”</p><p>Daytime where Lena could hear Kara’s voice over the phone? Perhaps technology did have perks.</p><p>Lena recited her phone number, remembering it from the paperwork she signed. She had to repeat it so Kara could type it into her phone.</p><p>“I have Instagram,” Lena revealed, now that they were on the topic of communicating with each other from a distance.</p><p>Kara blinked. “You do?”</p><p>“Yes, it’s on my home screen, top left corner,” Lena answered, frowning when Kara chuckled.</p><p>
  <em>Did I not sound sincere?</em>
</p><p>“What’s your handle? I’ll add you.”</p><p>
  <em>My what? </em>
</p><p>Lena decided handing over her phone was easier than admitting she had no idea what she was doing. “Feel free to add yourself,” she uttered, tugging her lips upward to combat the lack of inflection in her voice.</p><p>Kara tapped on the icon and almost instantly her eyes went round. “Um, that’s…err, nice?” she commented while her heartbeat spiked.</p><p>“What is?”</p><p>“Your, eh, handle,” Kara answered, blushing a lot more, cheeks near crimson. “Ur daughter calls me daddy 2.”</p><p>
  <em>I am going to kill Leslie. </em>
</p><p>Lena felt deeply ashamed Kara was exposed to such a distasteful joke, which she had no part in. “A friend of mine set it up for me,” Lena explained, although ex-friend was more accurate. “I didn’t have Instagram before,” she confessed.</p><p>“I figured,” Kara nodded. “About the not having Instagram before part, although I guess, judging from your picture and what I know about you, it makes sense you didn’t choose that handle.”</p><p>Lena was confused all over again. There was a photograph? Upon a closer look, she saw one of herself, of her face.</p><p>Kara gave Lena her phone back and as the light lit up green, they made their way to the park. Lena hoped no further embarrassment would occur to her, though something told her Kara enjoyed the roles being reversed for once.</p><p>“I know that dog,” Kara gasped, stilling. “Pepper!” she shouted as she let go of Lena’s hand, and off she went.</p><p>Lena observed while Kara fell down onto her knees to hug the dog who jumped into her arms. Everything had gone according to plan so far. Lena felt her heart clench when Kara started crying, but the smile on her face indicated she was happy.</p><p>
  <em>Blink, breathe and repeat. </em>
</p><p>Lena approached until she was two steps away from Kara.</p><p>Leslie, the despicable mortal, ran up to them with a Frisbee in hand.</p><p>“You must be the salt,” Kara addressed Leslie with a chuckle.</p><p>Leslie laughed. “Leslie,” she sufficed, stretching out her hand to shake Kara’s.</p><p>“Leslie,” Kara repeated. “I’m Kara. I work at the shelter. I used to walk Pepper.”</p><p>“That’s neat,” Leslie replied, playing her part well. “You spent a lot of time with Pepper, then?”</p><p>Regardless, Lena kept a wary eye on Leslie. The plan Lena cooked up was meant to be a secret and remain that way, for she wanted no credit.</p><p>“Yes,” Kara answered, smiling. “Oh, and this is Lena,” she said, waving Lena closer, “my, uh, date.”</p><p>“Nice to meet you,” Leslie said to Lena with a thin smile, wisely nodding her head rather than extending her hand.</p><p>
  <em>Must…not…kill.</em>
</p><p>“Likewise,” Lena uttered with a forced smile.</p><p>Leslie crouched down, petting Pepper. “Hey, if you wanna walk him sometime…,” she offered Kara with a shrug, “I’ll be at this park pretty much twice a day.”</p><p>“I’d love to! If it’s no trouble.”</p><p>“Yeah, not at all,” Leslie replied, tossing the Frisbee. “Look at him go,” she laughed when Pepper ran off to chase after it. “Do you have any pets?”</p><p>“Mhmm,” Kara hummed, revealing her phone. “I have a cat. His name is Mister Jingles and he has his own Instagram.”</p><p>“You’ve cat to be kitten mew, that’s so dope. I can’t believe you went for the Shrek one there.”</p><p>“I tried to let him be Fiona, but he hated the wig.”</p><p>Lena frowned at their interaction. There were parts she failed to understand, whereas Kara and Leslie chatted effortlessly, but they were both human and Lena wasn’t. She drowned out Leslie as much as she could, focusing on Kara.</p><p>Kara’s laughter was clear as a bell and light, interrupted by an onset of hiccups. Her eyes crinkled at the corners and the smallest of dimples formed in her cheeks. She talked animatedly with her hands whenever she wasn’t throwing the Frisbee.</p><p>Lena drank it all in, every split second. She found, if she concentrated on Kara’s heartbeat enough, she was almost able to make all other noises disappear.</p><p>Kara let herself fall onto her back, bursting out in laughter all over again when Pepper licked her face. “You’re such a good boy,” she cooed, petting the dog. “I’ll come to the park as often as I can to see you and I’ll bring you your favorite treats and some toys, and I’ll bring Eve sometime because you probably miss her a little bit, too. I missed you so much when you were gone.”</p><p>Lena felt her eye growing moist. She lifted her pinky, wiping at a lone tear, which was odd because vampires never cried.</p><p>
  <em>What have you done to me?</em>
</p><p>Lena stared at the pad of her finger, failing to make sense of it all, although she realized she was moved by Kara’s emotions. Centuries without tears and with apt knowledge of her biology crumbled, forcing Lena to rethink the truth and doubt her beliefs.</p><p>“I’m so happy I got to see Pepper again,” Kara exclaimed with a pep in her step, swinging their locked arms back and forth as they went back to her apartment. “I should have included you more though,” she added, biting her lip.</p><p>“Seeing you happy is all the inclusion I need.”</p><p>Kara let out a whine, the kind that was quiet for humans yet loud for vampires. “When you say things like that I really….,” she trailed off, lowering her eyes from Lena’s to her lips.</p><p>
  <em>Does it kill you the way it kills me? </em>
</p><p>Lena yearned for a taste of Kara’s lips, but such a desire had the chance of taking a lethal spin, which was why Lena couldn’t give in. She had to put Kara’s safety above their needs.</p><p>Lena knew Kara desired her; it was palpable through stolen glances, Kara’s erratic pulse, and everything in between. Vampires knew because it was like luring in prey, only this time Lena wasn’t trying to be a predator.</p><p>“After you,” Kara insisted once she unlocked her door.</p><p>Lena curled her fingers around a handful of catnip she fished out of her pocket on their way back. She stepped inside and glared at the cat, who was in the middle of sharpening his nails. Before the rat had the chance to attack, Lena knelt down and released her weapon in front of him.</p><p>“Oh, you brought him some catnip again,” Kara noted, closing the door. “Mister Jingles loves to roll around in it as much as he can,” she chuckled.</p><p>Kara sauntered into the kitchen, a place humans quite favored in their homes. Lena knew what it meant, but on the other hand, she was aware of her reluctant behavior toward the consumption of food and liquids, simply because she could only digest blood. So far she used nausea as an excuse and having drunk a lot, and then there was the time she stuffed her pockets with popcorn.</p><p>The latter appeared most effective to stray away from a scenario where Kara worried about Lena, whether she voiced her concerns or not. Lena’s clothes, however, begged to differ, seeing how she had to burn those on her way home. But in the end, ingenuity was the key to the balance between her nature and Kara’s. Or so Lena thought.</p><p>“Can I get you something to drink?” Kara asked, like clockwork after she opened the refrigerator. “I have Pepsi, orange juice, milk, coffee, tea, apple juice, grape juice, club soda, water,” she listed, and the first thing Lena noticed was how those options had grown.</p><p>
  <em>She did this for me, didn’t she?</em>
</p><p>“Water,” Lena answered with a tight smile.</p><p>She wished she could have picked something else to show appreciation for Kara’s effort, but Lena thought this through. Water was the easiest to discard down the sink, near plants, or out of the window. It was simple and quick, Lena pictured the plan in her head, knowing all Kara had to do was get distracted or look away once for a couple of seconds.</p><p>“Here you go,” Kara said, holding out a glass with a smile.</p><p>If Lena’s heart wasn’t without a beat already, it would have been now. Glasses were fragile. Lena wasn’t physically capable of holding them without shattering them, which was why she drank blood from a metal cup. The last time she held one happened when Leslie poured blood into one out of a bag, which resulted in a trip to the hospital, where Lena had to drop off Leslie after that idiot tried to pick up the pieces and cut open her palm. Admittedly, that was a decade ago, when Leslie was barely eighteen, and a rookie at being Lena’s blood source.</p><p>“Do you have a coaster?” Lena questioned, glancing at the coffee table where none were to be found.</p><p>“Oh, um, I think so,” Kara answered, turning back to the kitchen. “I remember buying some, but I’m not sure where I put them.”</p><p>
  <em>Bless mortals and their inability to memorize everything. </em>
</p><p>While Kara busied herself rummaging around for a coaster, Lena settled on the couch and the second she noticed Kara step toward her, Lena pretended to fluff up the pillows.</p><p>Lena’s wobbly plan succeeded as Kara put the coaster on the table and placed the glass on top of it.</p><p>“Found them,” Kara exclaimed with a sigh. “So…,” she started. She sat down, right next to Lena. “What’s your favorite drink?” Kara asked, boldly resting her hand on Lena’s knee.</p><p>
  <em>I bet your blood is. </em>
</p><p>The contact, while surprising, didn’t displease Lena. She glanced at Kara’s hand and then smiled up at her, dragging in a slow breath, eyes widening slightly so when Kara’s hand moved up to her thigh. </p><p>“Bloody Mary,” Lena decided after a pause, figuring it contained half a truth.</p><p>Kara leaned closer. “You once asked me who my favorite artist is and I think I need to change my answer,” she uttered with a soft hum. “Because…when I look into your eyes, whoever made you is clearly the best.”</p><p>Lena’s jaw dropped. The confidence, the eye-contact, and Kara’s voice; the lethal combination drew Lena in. “You,” she whispered, gaze intensifying, “are extraordinary.”</p><p>The scent of lilies in a meadow on a rainy day flooded Lena’s senses, and the closer Kara came, the more Lena fought not to succumb to her primal urges. The effort it took made her weak in the knees. She had never wanted someone more, purely out of lust and a hint of something else, something familiar yet foreign, like a long lost estranged friend.</p><p>In a snap moment where her self-control wavered, Lena licked a broad stripe from Kara’s jugular up to her chin. She felt Kara’s body shudder and backed away. It must have come across as strange, though that was the least of Lena’s concerns.</p><p>
  <em>It burns not to taste you. </em>
</p><p>The excruciating pain Lena felt was nothing compared to the night her fangs first broke through, which was far worse than growing pains and even worse than getting shot in the kneecap. Lena never fought her nature more than she did around Kara. The agony of it all ripped Lena apart at the seams, but no matter how much she wanted a taste, she couldn’t drink Kara’s blood.</p><p>“L-Lena,” Kara whispered, breathing fast.</p><p>Lena wished to avert her eyes and leave, but Kara’s eyes kept her in place. “Yes, Kara?”</p><p>Kara swallowed. “Can I kiss you?” she asked, lowering her gaze to Lena’s lips.</p><p>Lena wasn’t sure if she could control herself enough. She hadn’t been intimate with anyone in that way for a long time. Every physical encounter she had was raw and rough, resulting in either damaging furniture or the person she was with. Vampires weren’t gentle lovers. In fact, they weren’t lovers at all. There was nothing gentle about an immortal being having sex with a mortal.</p><p>“I should go,” Lena stated, glancing down at the floor.</p><p>“O-oh…have I done something wrong?”</p><p>
  <em>Have you done something wrong? No, Miss Danvers, dear, your kindness outshines the sun. </em>
</p><p>“Heavens, no,” Lena assured aloud, and when she looked up, she saw Kara’s lashes were wet. “I may have crossed a line and…” Lena whispered, and she wanted to dry Kara’s eyes, but her fingers trembled and refused to be still.</p><p>“You didn’t,” Kara replied with a shake of her head. “It-it surprised me, but I didn’t mind,” she spoke, once again proving how good of heart she was. “D-do you still want to leave?”</p><p>
  <em>Not if it saddens you so. </em>
</p><p>Lena couldn’t turn her back and she couldn’t kiss Kara, but perhaps Kara could kiss her. If Lena didn’t move at all, the chances to inflict pain were minimal.</p><p>“Kara,” Lena uttered in a gentle tone. “You may kiss me.”</p><p>The corners of Kara’s lips quirked up. “Really?” she queried, eyes twinkling when Lena confirmed with a nod.</p><p>Lena stopped forcing herself to breathe to appear human. She didn’t blink as Kara moved toward her, enveloping her in Kara’s delightful scent. Lena’s eyes were glued to Kara’s every motion and while her idea seemed doable at first, Lena now had doubts and something inside of her screamed to run.</p><p>But how could Lena ever be in danger with Kara?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪  Foolish heart, hear me callin’ ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪  Stop before you start fallin’ ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kara lifted her right hand, cupped Lena’s left cheek, and ran the pad of her thumb across Lena’s lips. It was a dangerously tempting move. And then Kara leaned in, with so much more than a peck as she crushed her mouth against Lena’s.</p><p>Lena’s resolve crumbled faster than the patriarchy. Her hands flew up to Kara’s waist and as she took control of their kiss, she pulled Kara on top of her. Kara shifted her knees, one on each side of Lena’s legs while Lena lowered her hands to Kara’s thighs.</p><p>When Kara’s lips parted, Lena’s followed suit, as gentle as possible in the domination of their intimacy. Her throat ached at being so close to blood, but if she bit Kara, she could end up killing her, and Kara was the last person in the world, immortals included, Lena wanted to die at her hands.</p><p>They kissed for what felt like an eternity, which was saying something for a vampire. And yet hours passed in the span of what seemed mere minutes.</p><p>Soon enough, Kara’s humanity caught up to her. After a series of adorable yawns, she promptly fell asleep.</p><p>Lena touched her fingers to Kara’s hair, dreaming of weaving her fingers through Kara’s soft locks without rendering her bald. Watching the fall and rise of Kara’s chest as she slept felt peaceful. Lena could look at her forever, but she had to go before the sun rose.</p><p>
  <em>Rest well, my sweet lily. </em>
</p><p>Lena lifted her index finger and her middle finger to her mouth, pressed her cool lips against them, and very gently touched Kara’s lips. As a prisoner of the night, Lena was forced to leave, and it was the hardest thing she ever had to do when she wished for the opposite.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena knew warm welcome home’s weren’t her coven’s motto, but sometimes her special family truly proved how dead they were on the inside and how all that waited for her was everything bad mixed into one big fucked up cocktail. In hindsight, she should have gambled on spending her daytime hours with Leslie rather than at the mansion.</p><p>“I know your dirty little secret,” Nia hissed, much like a snake. “You are canoodling with a human.”</p><p>Lena bared her teeth. “You followed me?” she asked, which was worse than Nia entering her chambers without permission.</p><p>
  <em>How dare she spy on me?</em>
</p><p>Nia propped herself up on her elbows, lying down on top of Lena’s bed. “Which night are you referring to?” Nia questioned with a devilish glint in her eyes, filing her nails.</p><p>“You…brat,” Lena sneered lowly, whisking the nail file out of Nia’s hand, snapping the thing in half.</p><p>Lena crumbled up the rest, raised her fist, and let what little more than dust was left go, in front of Nia’s eyes. Unlike Reign’s weakness for the twins, there wasn’t much Lena could threaten the rebel teenager with, although every vampire had something worth exploiting, and Nia just found Lena’s.</p><p>As the older vampire, Lena was stronger, but she knew if she tossed Nia outside during sunup, she would unleash Reign’s anger for taking away one of her beloved children. It didn’t matter Nia didn’t want to be counted as a child, Reign would avenge her regardless of that detail, so killing Nia was not Lena’s way out of this.</p><p>Lena’s jaw clenched. “Why?” she demanded. Why her when there were others to follow around?</p><p>“Curiosity, why else?” Nia replied as she sat up. “I’ve seen the way you gawk at the clock lately, how you go outside as soon as the sun goes down. But that’s not the point,” she explained, waving her hand in dismissal. “Oh, and I told the others.”</p><p>“I almost tolerated you,” Lena scoffed, which of course was a mistake.</p><p>“Aw shucks,” Nia whispered, placing a hand on her chest. “I almost vomited,” she uttered, feigning gagging sounds. “Ever since you started seeing that mortal, you’ve been acting like you’re one of them, but you’re not human.”</p><p>Such a weak take. Lena didn’t care for mortality, despite the struggles of immortality. Vampires were strong, fast, and capable of survival beyond a human’s reach. When the plague swept through the world, vampires were unaffected while mortals watched half of their population get wiped off the map.</p><p>But unlike some of her kind, Lena didn’t think of herself as a god.</p><p>“Have you kissed, hmm, what’s her name? Kara, was it?” Nia taunted with a dark chuckle. “Did you date Leslie before you convinced her to become your blood source, too? Do you make them fall in love with you to gain their loyalty?”</p><p>“You know nothing of the connections I share with them,” Lena responded with a flat tone. “You may have been a vampire for the past hundred years, but you’re too caught up in your own world to see how naïve you are in the real one. Now get out of my room and stay gone.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Stay safe out there. Wash your hands and keep enough distance. <br/>How are you all holding up?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara woke up alone. She checked the kitchen and the bathroom, but Lena was gone. Kara wasn’t sure how late she stayed up last night and reasoned Lena probably had other things to do than sticking around. With a deep sigh, Kara undressed and hopped into her shower to freshen up.</p><p>Mister Jingles meowed, pawing at the hamper. That cute little troublemaker knew precisely how to draw a reaction out of Kara, but she could never be mad at such a sweet small guy.</p><p>Kara reached for her coconut scented soap and squeezed a generous amount onto the palm of her hand. She rubbed it over her arms first, sighing at how relaxing it all felt while hot – not scalding – water, streamed down her back and the front of her body. She took her time, massaging her shoulders, spreading the soap.</p><p>All of it felt great until a particular spot caused Kara to wince. She stared down at her left outer thigh where a yellow-greenish bruise blossomed, one that wasn’t there before. And when she let her gaze drift, she noticed a similar one on her right thigh. They were rather large, larger than a couple of inches.</p><p>“Lena’s hands,” Kara whispered as it all dawned on her.</p><p>Lena’s grip last night when Kara straddled her lap was intense and a bit too much, but Kara hadn’t stopped her because they were kissing, finally kissing! She didn’t mind Lena’s passionate enthusiasm in the heat of the moment and it wasn’t like Kara never had bruises after intimacy before, although those generally involved a lot less clothes.</p><p>Kara gently touched her fingertips to her thighs, wincing again.</p><p>Mister Jingles ran toward Kara and for a second, she thought he was about to leap into the shower.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Kara assured, kneeling down to pet her cat, chuckling when he butted her hand with his nose. “Oh okay, I get it,” she said, washing his neck for him with a little bit of water.</p><p>Once Mister Jingles seemed satisfied, he turned his back toward Kara and tackled the hamper, chewing the strap of one of Kara’s bras.</p><p>“Mister Jingles,” Kara groaned loudly. “Not my bra again. Why can’t you chew on my slippers instead like a normal cat?”</p><p>After Kara toweled herself dry, she cleaned up after Mister Jingles, as per usual, and got dressed in a pair of slacks and a shirt with buttons. She gathered her hair in her hands, tying it together.</p><p>Kara sighed at her reflection in the mirror, thinking about a tip Imra gave her to try out.</p><p>“You…,” Kara started, chewing the inside of her cheek. It didn’t sound right talking to her mirror as if it held another person entirely. “I’m beautiful,” she whispered, rolling her lips into her mouth. “I matter and it’s not annoying when I ramble.”</p><p>“There,” Kara concluded with a nod. “Three things.”</p><p>On her way to her sister’s place, Kara sent a text to Lena, asking if she got home okay. The idea of Lena going home alone in the dark all the time didn’t sit well with Kara, although she was confident Lena knew how to stand her ground.</p><p>Kara bumped into a pole and a person while she awaited a response. Someone cursed at her, but she ignored them, and once Lena answered she made it home alright, Kara sucked in a deep breath and tucked her phone away.</p><p>Kara used the spare key Alex gave her to let herself in, though she did knock first to avoid walking in on any sexcapades. The image of her sister having Kelly for breakfast while Jamie was asleep was forever engraved in Kara’s brain.</p><p>“Kawa!” Jamie squealed, clapping her hands together.</p><p>“Jamie!” Kara shouted back, giggling as she scooped up her niece. “Who’s my favorite kid in the whole wide world? You are. Yes, you.”</p><p>“Wabewy.”</p><p>“Wabewy?” Kara repeated, frowning as she tried to make sense of the word.</p><p>“She’s asking for a raspberry,” Alex explained. “Kelly gave her one and it’s been her favorite since.”</p><p>“I know the way to the heart of my girls,” Kelly commented, winking at Alex.</p><p>
  <em>I bet they’ll get married within a year. </em>
</p><p>“Well maybe you’ll find the way to move in, too,” Alex quipped.</p><p>Kara chuckled. It was such a typical thing for her sister to say and then feel embarrassed about later, which had Kara realize getting ashamed kind of ran in the family.</p><p>“Okay,” Kelly said with a nod. “Give me one month to arrange everything and I will move in with you if you’ll have me.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh my God, yes, move in with my sister! </em>
</p><p>Alex coughed and pounded her fist against her chest. “You’d move in with me?” she asked, staring at her girlfriend.</p><p>“U-Haul!” Kara announced with a big grin. She knew they would get there and she was super excited. “I can help pack and load up the truck, or unload boxes and help with furniture,” she offered, ready to roll up her sleeves.</p><p>
  <em>I hear wedding bells. </em>
</p><p>“Oh my God,” Alex whispered. “You’re moving in with me,” she said to Kelly, eyes glistening. “We’ll be living together,” Alex uttered, bursting out in tears.</p><p>“In a month,” Kelly confirmed.</p><p>“Month schmonth,” Alex laughed. “You’re not going anywhere, babe.”</p><p>“Wabewy,” Jamie cooed, totally oblivious to what just happened.</p><p>“Guess what, little cutiepie?” Kara said, tickling Jamie’s tummy. “Your mommy and Kelly are going to live together now.”</p><p>“Actually,” Alex interrupted. “We refer to Kelly as mum now,” she corrected, squeezing Kelly’s knee, exchanging a smile with her.</p><p>“Awe, you guys,” Kara uttered, feeling that one right in her heart. “What do you say, Jamie? Are you happy for your mommy and your mum?”</p><p>Jamie giggled. “Momum.”</p><p>Alex shook her head. “Close enough.”</p><p>Kara blew a raspberry onto Jamie’s stomach, much to her niece’s delight who let out the cutest giggle in the world. Being an aunt was pretty amazing and something else that would be incredible was for Kelly to become her sister in law someday. Kara was ready to welcome Kelly into the family with open arms because Alex finally met a wonderful woman who loved her and shared the same dreams.</p><p>“Kelly made smoothies for breakfast,” Alex said while she fetched a glass. “Do you want one?”</p><p>Kara rolled her lips into her mouth. Fruit did taste yummy; she had to admit that much. And some smoothies were to die for. “Only if there’s no kiwi in there,” she answered after a beat.</p><p>“I know you’re allergic, Kara,” Alex sighed, setting down the glass. “I don’t even bother buying kiwi, even though I can eat them and think they’re delicious.”</p><p>“Is that why you bought blueberries, babe?” Kelly commented with a chuckle, nudging Alex’s right side.</p><p>Alex cupped her right hand next to her mouth. “Blueberry pancakes,” she whispered at Kara, adding a mouthed, “so good.”</p><p>Kelly shook her head and Kara had to agree Kelly was in for quite the ride once she officially moved in with her sister. Kara loved their occasional banter and how they gravitated toward each other. Alex and Kelly pretty much resembled everything Kara wanted out of a relationship, minus being a parent.</p><p>Kara licked her lips at the thought of pancakes. “Please tell me you kept one for me.”</p><p>“I kept two,” Alex replied with a wink.</p><p>“I love you!” Kara exclaimed, although her sentiment was mostly meant for the food. “You’re my favorite sister.”</p><p>Alex opened the refrigerator. “Um, I’m your only sister,” she pointed out, reaching for a plate with the two pancakes that were about to say hello to Kara’s stomach.</p><p>“Not really,” Kara disagreed with a shake of her head. “I already adopted Kelly into the family. You just didn’t know it yet.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Tonight, as much as Kara wanted Lena to appear on her doorstep for another date, she decided to spend some quality time with her best friend instead. And Kara did sort of owe Imra a pizza. While she checked her wallet to see if she had enough cash or needed a quick run to pin some money, Kara fired off a few texts to Lena. It would be mean not to warn her, even though they hadn’t made any plans together.</p><p>Lena was a mystery woman, who up until last time dropped by at random nights. The fact Kara finally had Lena’s phone number was a game-changer, which accidentally coincided with her not staying home the night. But it had nothing to do with Kara wanting or needing space, or trying to blow Lena off because all of those were the last thing on Kara’s mind.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Kara [7:11 pm]:</strong> hey, it’s me, Kara</p><p><strong>Kara [7:11 pm]:</strong> just wanted to let u know i won’t be home tonight</p><p><strong>Kara [7:12 pm]:</strong> about to hang with my best friend</p><p><strong>Kara [7:13 pm]:</strong> see u tomorrow? oxox</p><p> </p><p>Kara bit her lip, unsure whether her texts were too formal or just right. Adding the hugs and kisses was probably fine, considering they did plenty of both, especially last night. Kara wanted to spend more time with Lena, she really did, but she also wanted to see her best friend outside of their training sessions.</p><p>Lately, Kara got wrapped up in her love life, and she wasn’t the kind of person who bailed on her friends. No, she looked forward to catching up with Imra and hearing about her life. Kara loved her best friend and grabbing pizza was pretty much their sacred bonding ritual.</p><p>Kara checked her phone, waiting for her notifications to light up. She bit her nail, a habit she ought to break for good. She knew Lena didn’t seem like the planning type, so perhaps trying to get her to confirm to spend time together tomorrow was asking too much.</p><p>
  <em>What if last night freaked her out? She did seem jumpy before we kissed. </em>
</p><p>Kara chewed her lip until she drew blood. She asked Lena if it was okay to kiss her before she did, but Lena did first intend on leaving before she changed her mind. It was all a little confusing, and the longer it took for Lena to reply, the more Kara doubted she was going to.</p><p>When her notification light lit up, Kara fumbled to unlock her phone.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Lena </strong><strong>&lt;3 </strong><strong>[7:26 pm]:</strong> Hello. It is I, Lena.</p><p> </p><p>Kara frowned at her screen. “Is she mocking me?” she whispered to her cat, who stared up at her. “What do you think, Mister Jingles? She’s a dork, right?”</p><p>Kara shook her head with a chuckle. She went on, donning her clothes for the night. Her worries were all for naught, but with her past experiences, Kara couldn’t help but second guess potential relationships from time to time.</p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>Lena </strong><strong>&lt;3 </strong><strong>[7:41 pm]:</strong> Have a lovely evening with your friend and do give her my best. I shall see you tomorrow evening when the clock strikes nine. Ok-Ok.</p><p> </p><p>Kara looked at the text and then at the time, which meant Lena was likely busy to have taken so long to send that second message. The last part of Lena’s reply made Kara laugh. Auto-correct had a way of being weird unless Lena wasn’t familiar with oxox.</p><p>With plenty of money for a double pizza deal with appetizers and drinks, Kara met up with Imra at the little pizzeria they had been going to since they were in first grade, although back then their parents joined them and sometimes Alex did. Her sister was a tall ten-year-old back then. Kara gasped at the fact that it was twenty years ago.</p><p>“Baby!” Imra exclaimed, throwing up her arms.</p><p>“Babe!” Kara replied in the same exaggerated tone. “It’s been ages, ages I tell you!” she uttered, hugging her best friend, kissing her on the cheek.</p><p>
  <em>Everyone’s staring at us like we’re a couple. </em>
</p><p>“If it isn’t my two favorite pizza munchers,” the daughter’s owner said. “Your first round of drinks is on me.”</p><p>Kara shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “Maggie,” she acknowledged, sucking her teeth.</p><p>“Little Danvers,” Maggie nodded. “How is she?”</p><p>“She’s…Alex is good,” Kara answered, managing a smile.</p><p>There wasn’t any bad blood between them per se, but Maggie did shatter Alex’s heart, even if it wasn’t done on purpose. Sometimes people wanted different things in life, which sucked. But Alex turned out okay and created a little family of her own.</p><p>“Kelly’s about to move in with her,” Kara revealed. “And Jamie is the greatest kid in the world.”</p><p>“I’m happy for Alex,” Maggie uttered with a smile, but her eyes were slightly wet.</p><p>Imra placed a hand on Maggie’s shoulder. “You okay there, Mags?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’m fine,” Maggie shrugged. “I’ll let you babes pick out a table and I’ll come over when you’re ready to order, yeah?”</p><p>Kara felt somewhat awkward, but her sister knew she still had contact with Maggie, as did Alex. Although in Kara’s case it was whenever she was in the mood for pizza, while Alex now and then sent a text to Maggie. Not behind Kelly’s back though, no. Kelly knew about the whole situation and she was supportive of Alex maintaining contact with Maggie.</p><p>Plus, Kara pretty much grew up with Maggie for the past twenty years, as did Imra. Pizzas were easily found all over the city, but genuine connections weren’t. And Maggie’s familia had the biggest heart. They showed so much love when Maggie was the first to come out, which gave Alex the confidence to do the same a year after that.</p><p>Kara and Imra picked out a table next to the window and soon received their free drinks.</p><p>“I met someone,” Imra tossed out in the open. “At some club I stumbled across.”</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows rose. “Oh?” she replied, and while she didn’t come here to talk about her love life, she did want to hear about Imra’s for a change.</p><p>“She’s tall, blonde, and beautiful,” Imra shared with a smile, toying with the rim of her glass. “Her name is Gayle. We talked a bit and we danced, and when we parted ways she told me she’ll be there again next week, but I’m not sure if I’ll go.”</p><p>“What?” Kara gasped. “How come?”</p><p>
  <em>Houston, I do not copy. </em>
</p><p>“She told me she has two kids,” Imra answered with a deep sigh. She took a sip from her Pepsi and cast her eyes down for a moment. “I’m not sure how I feel about dating someone who has a child, let alone two.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kara whispered, nodding.</p><p>If Kara was in Imra’s shoes, she would have been on the fence, too. But that was purely because Kara was absolutely certain she didn’t want children and it wouldn’t be fair to string someone along who already had one. She understood liking someone wasn’t a good enough reason to date someone when an obstacle was involved.</p><p>“And I know she’s not asking me to parent her kids,” Imra continued. “And nobody says this is going somewhere, but I have to think this through in case I do develop a serious connection with her.”</p><p>“Yes, definitely,” Kara wholeheartedly agreed. “Maybe if you do decide to go, you can put your cards onto the table and share your doubts?”</p><p>“Maybe,” Imra hummed. “What I do know is that we should order an extra pizza.”</p><p>Kara glanced at the menu-card as if she didn’t know it by heart. “I’m thinking Hawaiian, but without the pineapple.”</p><p>“You can’t have a Hawaiian without its best topping.”</p><p>“And this is why you and I never dated,” Kara teased, gasping when Imra kicked her under the table. “Pineapple on pizza is unacceptable, I don’t make the rules,” Kara said, holding up her hands.</p><p>“Depending on how far your relationship with madam mystery has evolved, you’ll want the pineapple,” Imra commented with a naughty wink.</p><p>“Madam mystery?” Kara snorted, a bit too distracted about that part to focus on the implication her best friend just made. “Oh, this reminds me, she’s sending you her best.”</p><p>Imra raised her glass. “Chivalry isn’t dead,” she mused, clinking her glass against Kara’s.</p><p>“I missed this,” Kara sighed in earnest. She reached across the table, placing her free hand on top of Imra’s.</p><p>Imra smiled. “I missed pizza, too,” she replied, squeezing Kara’s hand, chuckling at Kara’s attempt to look stern.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>On their fifth date, Kara didn’t want Lena to leave or disappear in the middle of the night. Tonight, Kara planned on cuddling with Lena and finding out which spoon she was, although personally, Kara was used to being the little spoon.</p><p>Kara extended her pinky. “Promise you’ll stay the night?”</p><p>Lena’s eyes shifted between Kara’s eyes and her finger. “I promise,” Lena answered, sticking out her pinky, too.</p><p>Kara smiled and wrapped her finger around Lena’s, hoping Lena valued those as much as she did. Kara never broke a promise unless there was an emergency or a really good reason to come back on her word. In her eyes, not living up to a promise was almost as bad as lying. One time, Kara went out with a guy who promised not to eat her chocolate cake while she excused herself to the bathroom, and when she came back her pie was gone and so was the guy, but the check wasn’t.</p><p>When Kara woke up, she felt Lena’s body next to her, which meant she kept her word. The strange thing, though, was Kara barely saw her own fingers if she held them up in front of her face as if the streetlight and the moon both gave up. She turned her head toward her alarm clock, eyes widening as the yellow numbers told her it was almost nine in the morning already.</p><p>Kara slid out of her bed, carefully feeling around with her tiptoes not to step onto a piece of Lego. Something she frequently did even when the sun lit up her entire room because her niece never put all of them back in the box. Slowly, knowing the direction of her door, Kara managed to trudge up there.</p><p>Kara flicked on the lights and that was when she got her answer, sort of.</p><p>
  <em>How? When? Why?</em>
</p><p>“Did you…tape sheets over my window?” Kara asked, scratching the back of her neck.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t even remember where I kept my tape. </em>
</p><p>The windows were completely sealed shut with blankets and duct tape. Not a sliver of sunlight made it through. This wasn’t Kara’s idea of a pillow fort, so the reason why was lost on her.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena answered, propping herself up. She rubbed her forehead and winced. “I hope you’ll forgive me. I get terrible migraines, which tend to last a while, and a dark room helps.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kara whispered, switching the lights off again.</p><p>She fumbled with her phone, using the torch to find the nightlight shaped like a star she kept in a drawer. Kara had it in her possession since she was a toddler and it was pretty and easy on the eyes at the same time. Once she plugged it in, she saw Lena a bit better and was able to walk around her bedroom without tripping over her cat.</p><p>
  <em>I’ll take good care of you, I promise. </em>
</p><p>“You have a few grey hairs,” Kara noted, thinking it sexy.</p><p>It wasn’t so much so grey locks, but rather a few tips of Lena’s hair, which was why it had caught Kara’s attention. She wondered if it was done on purpose or if Lena went grey far too soon, had to dye her hair, and missed a few ends of her hair. Not that Kara had a problem with either. As far as she was concerned Lena could go bald and still be a gorgeous woman.</p><p>“Is this how you compliment all women whose company you desire?”</p><p>“I only desire yours,” Kara mumbled in a whisper and a blush. “Erm, of course not! I just, ah, hadn’t noticed before. Maybe because I always get lost in your eyes, but that’s no excuse for being rude, so I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you how beautiful you are or how you take my breath away without even trying.”</p><p>Lena chuckled. “You sound rather infatuated, dear.”</p><p>“It’s not infatuation!” Kara countered although she understood the assessment in relation to what she said. “It’s not infatuation,” she repeated, quieter. “At least…I don’t think it is. I’m not sure how to explain it exactly. But I should be silent so you can rest.”</p><p>
  <em>She has a migraine. I don’t want to put her in any more pain. </em>
</p><p>“Whispering won’t hurt,” Lena responded. “I find your voice rather soothing.”</p><p>Around lunchtime, Kara sat cross-legged on her bed with a bowl of grapes. Hoping that the sight of her enjoying those would spur on Lena to try a few, who said she wasn’t hungry and hadn’t touched the soup Kara got her.</p><p>“So,” Kara hummed, popping another grape into her mouth. “What’s your favorite season?”</p><p>“Winter,” Lena answered with a soft smile. “The scenery is astonishing when it snows, the stars appear faster, and when I fall I can blame it on the ice.”</p><p>Kara bit back a chuckle to remain silent enough. “Personally, I’m torn because I like every season. There’s something to love about each of them,” she said, and she thought of stopping there to avoid rambling but smiled at the memories of Lena encouraging her to share. “Okay so, I like autumn because of the leaves changing color and the sound of the rain tapping against my windows. But I also like to dance in the rain because it’s fun. Cold, but fun. I like spring because that’s when everything blossoms, which is beautiful. Sometimes I help Eve plant flowers and such in her garden and one time we found a squirrel. We nursed him back to health and released him.”</p><p>Lena rolled onto her side and placed her fist under her chin. Her eyes rested on Kara and Kara loved the idea of having all day to talk with Lena, though she wished it didn’t come at the expense of Lena. If only Kara could take Lena’s headache away by absorbing it, but migraines weren’t easily fixed.</p><p>Kara held most of her excitement at bay as she spoke, to keep whispering. “Then there’s summer. I love feeling the sun on my skin, going to the beach to swim, and I love, love, love ice cream. Not that it has to be summer for me to eat ice cream because I’ll even eat it in the winter. Alex thinks it’s a bit crazy, but she doesn’t complain once I add hot molten chocolate as a topping,” she shared, licking her lips. “And winter is incredible, too. For the reasons you mentioned, but also…snowball fights, snow angels, and building a snowman. Oh, and ice skating or sledding. And…Christmas. The holy grail of winter.”</p><p>Lena snorted. “Holy grail?” she repeated with a shake of her head. “Who allowed you to be this adorable?”</p><p>“But…Christmas,” Kara mouthed, pecking Lena’s lips because she couldn’t resist.</p><p>“My lips hurt,” Lena sighed. “I think yours can make them feel better.”</p><p>Kara smiled. “Oh, but I’m adorable?” she quipped, leaning in because cheesy line or not, it worked.</p><p>
  <em>I’d kiss you whenever, wherever. </em>
</p><p>One kiss turned into more when Kara pried Lena’s lips apart with her tongue. She traced the outline of Lena’s teeth, breath catching at the sharpness, something Kara also felt the first time they kissed. But what really made her light-headed was the way Lena’s tongue swept around hers. Kara’s body melted in Lena’s, lips fitting together like magnets, tough to separate.</p><p>Kara had to break their kiss when the need to breathe took over, amazed by Lena’s lung capacity surpassing hers. “Wow,” Kara whispered, chest heaving.</p><p>
  <em>Now, this is what I’d call a workout. </em>
</p><p>“You’re a really good kisser,” Kara complimented in earnest. “I could kiss you all day,” she commented off-hand with a chuckle.</p><p>Lena arched a brow. “What’s stopping you?” she replied, but when Kara closed the gap between them for more, Lena stopped Kara with her hand. “I need a breather first. You make me quite…,” Lena uttered, biting her bottom lip, “dizzy.”</p><p>“A breather,” Kara nodded. “Let’s do that. I’m actually thirsty, so I’m going to grab some water. Do you want anything? You must be parched.”</p><p>“Quite so,” Lena whispered, and the intensity in her voice made Kara gulp.</p><p>Kara shuddered at the way Lena dragged her eyes down her body, which made her super self-conscious about the way she looked, but if Lena didn’t like her she wouldn’t have stuck around.</p><p>
  <em>Oh so thirsty like that…me too, Lena…me too. </em>
</p><p>Kara blushed at the thought of having sex with Lena, a frequent occurrence in her dreams as well as her daydreams. If Kara was being honest with herself, she had to admit she wouldn’t say no if their intimacy happened to progress that way.</p><p>But Lena had a migraine, a fact Kara almost forgot because Lena was really darn good at hiding her pain.</p><p>“Hey, Lena,” Kara paused at the door, chewing her lip. Her heart hammered in her throat. “You were just teasing about the infatuation thing earlier, right?”</p><p>
  <em>I’m falling for you. I really am. It’s not infatuation. </em>
</p><p>Lena moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “Darling?” she uttered softly, patting the space next to her.</p><p>Kara held her breath and released it with a shiver as she went to join Lena. She wrung her hands together, waiting for Lena to talk about what was obviously a joke. And yet…part of Kara was awash with doubt and insecurity.</p><p>Lena’s right hand came up to rub Kara’s back. “I was kidding, yes,” Lena confirmed. “And I’m happy you opened up about this to me.”</p><p>Kara blinked. “Y-you are…?” she asked while her eyebrows rose.</p><p>“Of course,” Lena nodded. “Whenever you are in doubt or have something on your chest, I appreciate you talking it over with me.”</p><p>Kara smiled and just about fell into Lena’s arms, kissing her face all over. In all of her past relationships, Kara never had one that involved a healthy way of communicating, which was why she was extra nervous to do something wrong or say the wrong thing.</p><p>“I really…like you, Lena,” Kara sighed, and she meant to say love, but it felt too soon.</p><p>“And I you, Kara.”</p><p>Confident in what they had, Kara got up. “I’ll bring you some water so you can stay hydrated and I’ll let you rest for a bit while I go on Instagram if that’s okay?” she checked, hovering near her bed.</p><p>Once Lena assured she was fine going back to sleep for a bit, Kara went to her living room and sat down on her couch with Mister Jingles, ready for the Instagram live she had planned for the day but almost canceled when Lena fell ill.</p><p>“Hiya, people!” Kara greeted the viewers as they trickled in. She kept her voice down as much as she could, although Lena wasn’t in the same room as her. “Mister Jingles and I are back, and as you can see, he isn’t wearing an outfit. That’s because today, we’re going to talk about adoption. So, Mister Jingles and I invited a friend to join us.”</p><p>Kara scrolled through the sea of comments until she found the person she was looking for. “Calling her…now,” she hummed. “And…hi, Leslie! Hi, Pepper!”</p><p>“Hey, Kara,” Leslie replied, waving her hand. “Hey, Mister Jingles. Pepper says hi, too.”</p><p>Pepper butted his nose against Leslie’s phone, making Kara chuckle.</p><p>“Just a quick message in between,” Kara announced. “Those of you watching this live, have you adopted an animal or multiple? Then send me pictures and next week I’ll pick three furry friends to go live with us. What do you think, Mister Jingles?”</p><p>Kara held her ear close to Mister Jingles. “He says it’s purr-fect.”</p><p>“Leslie,” Kara addressed. “Can you walk us through the process of how you adopted Pepper?”</p><p>Kara rounded up the live after an hour. She rewarded Mister Jingles with snacks and went to check on Lena. Lena’s eyes were closed until Kara approached her. Kara ogled the glass of water on the nightstand, frowning at the fact it was still full.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The numbers scribbled onto the small piece of paper screamed at Kara. She paced back and forth, confused about Lena’s odd behavior. Lena’s migraine had finally subsided somewhere close to eight p.m and she helped Kara remove all of the tape and the sheets. But what boggled her mind most was how she couldn’t get Lena to drink so much as a sip of water and she couldn’t get her to eat anything either.</p><p>
  <em>What if she faints on her way home?</em>
</p><p>Kara bit her lip, regretting she let Lena go alone when she knew Lena was severely anemic. With a deep series of sighs, Kara grabbed her phone and typed in the number. After the third ring, someone picked up.</p><p>“Nia?” Kara checked. “It’s Kara.”</p><p>“To what do I owe this pleasure?”</p><p>“Um, so, Lena had a migraine today,” Kara started, fiddling with her fingers. “She’s on her way home and I just…does this happen a lot? Is she okay? Can you let me know when she gets home safe?”</p><p>More questions stumbled past Kara’s lips and she knew she ought to give Nia a moment to answer at least one, but Kara’s mind went in overdrive at the thought of Lena in some ditch because she passed out.</p><p>“Time out,” Nia interrupted. “How about you come over and check on Lena personally?”</p><p>Kara’s breath got stuck in the back of her throat. An invitation meant she would finally get to see where Lena lived and while she hoped Lena would have extended one, Nia’s offer counted, too.</p><p>
  <em>What am I waiting for?</em>
</p><p>“Yes, I’d like that,” Kara answered, smiling, and even though Nia couldn’t see her, she probably heard it in Kara’s voice.</p><p>Nia recited the address while Kara fetched a pen and some paper.</p><p>“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Kara promised once she had it all down. “So, um, that’s through the woods?”</p><p>“I will await you on the edge, next to the road. Wouldn’t want you to get lost.”</p><p>Thanking Nia, Kara hung up the phone and snatched her keys. She wasn’t fond of wandering about those woods at night because she heard a bunch of spooky stories about people entering those and never returning, but Nia would be by her side, and she sounded like she knew the way.</p><p>Kara jogged on the sidewalk, which wasn’t too hard with all the training sessions she had boxing with Imra. Her breathing remained even, spiking up only when Kara remembered things she heard about those woods. Hikers vanished there as well as campers and dogs, although some believed those were just tales. Good things happened there as well, Kara recalled. Sometimes teenagers had parties in the woods and they seemed fine.</p><p>As promised, Nia awaited Kara at the edge of the woods.</p><p>“Are you afraid, Kara?”</p><p>Kara shook her head under the scrutinizing gaze of the teenager. She used the torch of her phone to see where they were going, but the further they wandered into the woods, the more Kara forgot which direction she came from. She thought about sending her location to her sister, but Alex was way too overprotective, so she messaged her best friend instead.</p><p>Nia stilled. “Everything okay?” she questioned, glancing at Kara’s phone.</p><p>“Yes, just letting someone know where I am, in case I get lost.”</p><p>“Shoot, I should have brought bread crumbs,” Nia quipped.</p><p>Kara chuckled at that and suddenly felt a bit more at ease. Maybe she was overreacting, although growing up she was taught to always warn someone where she was. Not that she did that often ever since she became an adult, but it was better to be safe than sorry.</p><p>After what felt like forever, they arrived at a mansion, tucked deep into the woods, behind a large black gate.</p><p>
  <em>Lena likes horror movies, doesn’t she? </em>
</p><p>The outer walls were covered with ivy and ferns and the door creaked when Nia opened it. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, catching the light of the torches inside. The floor was dark mahogany with furniture to match. There was no television in the living room and no couch. Instead, there was a dining table with a dozen chairs surrounding it, and an armchair in the corner.</p><p>Kara caught sight of the curved staircase and jumped back when eyes stared back at her. They were all standing in the dark, like ghosts. This was worse than the Halloween horror houses Kara entered, but when more torches lit up, the place felt warmer and less spooky until the people on the stairs vanished in the blink of an eye.</p><p>
  <em>Ghosts aren’t real. Ghosts aren’t real. </em>
</p><p>Kara followed Nia up the stairs to the room Nia claimed was hers. “You must have a big family,” Kara guessed, taking in the hall that seemingly went on without end.</p><p>It was all going well until Kara saw two little girls further down the hall in matching dresses as if they stepped right out of ‘the shining’ and into this mansion.</p><p>Kara wanted to scream, but no words came out. And then everything went black as she fainted.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kara is at the mansion. What could possibly go wrong? :))</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Everybody back the fuck off,” Nia hissed. “Especially you two,” she sneered at the twins.</p><p>Zara and Sarah bared their teeth, ducking their heads as they danced back upon Nia’s growl.</p><p>“Stop scaring the children,” Lucy insisted as she knelt down. “Is this her?” she whispered, caressing the human’s cheek.</p><p>“Yes, it’s Kara,” Nia confirmed, tilting her head. “I didn’t think she’d pass out. It’s not like we’ve done anything…yet.”</p><p>“You all frightened the poor dear,” Lucy said, scooping her arms under the human’s neck and knees, gently lifting her up, putting her down on the bed. “Magdalena shan’t be happy you brought her here.”</p><p>“Nothing will happen to her if I don’t want it to.”</p><p>Lucy glanced over her shoulder where a handful of others curled their fingers around the door. Even she felt the burn to feed. “You cannot fight them all in my absence,” she cautioned Nia.</p><p>The sound of Reign snapping her fingers cleared out the others.</p><p>Nia crossed her arms. “You were saying?” she commented, grinning at Lucy.</p><p>“Do not harm this human,” Lucy urged, cupping Nia’s cheeks. “Ego promitto tibi morte,” (I promise you death) Lucy whispered, sealing her words with a kiss.</p><p>Nia staggered back, eyes round as she touched her fingertips to her lips. “Hey, you know that’s a threat that can’t be broken!” she shouted in a whisper. “I thought our coven was against this stuff. We burned the books…we destroyed the scriptures.”</p><p>Reign clenched her jaw, eyes burning through Lucy.</p><p>Lucy was aware of the gravity her promise held. When a vampire didn’t want to be crossed, they gave those on the verge of overstepping bounds what was known as the kiss of death. Only the eldest immortals were strong enough to cast such a powerful spell. Not only did Lucy read those books and scriptures, but she also helped write them, long before they went up in flames.</p><p>Lucy’s hand was regrettably forced, for she had to protect what was dear to her, and those they, in turn, held close to their heart.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena licked her lips and chin clean, but that did nothing to get rid of the blood drenching her shirt. She failed to control herself after she spent a whole night and day with Kara, though as long as she didn’t sink her teeth into Kara, Lena didn’t care. She was a vampire. And mortals weren’t exactly angels either with all the animals they slaughtered for their greedy consumption.</p><p>“Leslie,” Lena all but growled when she entered the cellar. “I asked you to adopt the dog, not to become friends with Kara,” she stated, eye twitching.</p><p>While Lena feigned a migraine, she overheard Kara talking to Leslie through her phone. Lena never agreed to such a thing and wasn’t pleased with the idea, which Leslie was to blame for. The last thing Lena wanted was for her connections to reach out to Kara to shield Kara as much as possible from the truth.</p><p>Deep down, Lena felt she ought to let Kara go due to her nature. Kara deserved better, but Lena was in too deep and she had Kara in her grasp.</p><p>“Seeing updates about Pepper makes your girlfriend happy,” Leslie uttered with a sigh. “Isn’t that what you want?”</p><p>“I do,” Lena admitted, shoulders sagging.</p><p>“Your shirt is soaked,” Leslie pointed out the obvious. “Need some help?” she offered, hands reaching out.</p><p>Lena lifted up her arms. She stood still as Leslie helped her out of her shirt, into a new one. Perhaps Kara befriending Leslie wasn’t the end of the world. There were far worse things, such as Kara meeting the demon twins.</p><p>Leslie was right, Kara was happy now that Pepper had a home. And if it continued to make Kara happy to stay in touch with Leslie, then Lena saw no harm in letting it be.</p><p>“I’m on edge tonight,” Lena confessed, which was putting it lightly.</p><p>“Do you want some more blood before you go? I have-”</p><p>“No,” Lena cut in, somewhat sharp. “You can keep your refrigerated garbage.”</p><p>“But I haven’t…,” Leslie trailed off with a sigh. “Actually, never mind, forget it.”</p><p>Lena groaned and left, not in the mood to deal with Leslie’s feelings or her poor excuses. Leslie was just as addicted to drugs as Lena was to blood, but the big difference was Lena needed blood to survive while Leslie would be fine without those poisonous pills and needles.</p><p>It angered Lena how Leslie was given a life yet decided to throw it all away. Lena grew weary of her attempts to get Leslie to quit and she no longer wished to trade weak promises for sex. In fact, now that she had Kara in her life, Lena didn’t want to be intimate with anyone in any way, except Kara.</p><p>
  <em>I can still feel the kisses she pressed into my skin. </em>
</p><p>Lena shut her eyes, finding a moment of peace through her memories. As a vampire, she never had any romantic connections and before Kara, she didn’t believe in love. Every time Lena grew closer to Kara, she felt reborn. But the lies stung.</p><p>
  <em>How can I ever tell Kara what I am? </em>
</p><p>Lena stared at her hands, the very ones she used to hold those she killed. Weapons of destruction and yet they knew Kara’s touch and the soft, warm feeling of her hands. </p><p>Lena glanced up at the stars. “Can you keep a secret?” she uttered in a whisper while she set out to walk toward the beach, where she could be alone.</p><p>“I’m in love with a human,” Lena realized, scoffing at how silly it seemed, but it was every bit real.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Wise men say ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Only fools rush in ♪</em>
</p><p><em>♪ But I can't help falling in love with you</em> <em>♪ </em></p><p> </p><p>Lena’s feet moved swiftly across the sand. Soon after, she felt the water lapping at her toes, and she kept going. Deeper and deeper while her knees disappeared under the surface, as did her waist, her shoulders, and finally her head. She clenched her fists, screaming as loud as she could, letting it all out.</p><p>In the process, Lena consumed a hefty amount of the salted water, much to her body’s disapproval. She resurfaced, vomiting up every drop of blood she drank earlier, coloring the sand black, to the point of collapse.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lucy knocked on the cellar door. “Guess who,” she said upon hearing Leslie’s heartbeat.</p><p>A dog started barking but stopped when Leslie hushed him.</p><p>“Hmmm, let’s see,” Leslie replied without raising her voice, almost whispering. It was a considerate gesture, an act of kindness. “I think I’ll have to go with… woman who stole my heart.”</p><p>Lucy smiled when Leslie opened the door, but before they had a chance to kiss, a dog leaped into Lucy’s arms. She caught him, chuckling when the dog licked her face.</p><p>
  <em>What a sweet living being. </em>
</p><p>“This is Pepper, my best friend,” Leslie introduced, reaching out to pet her dog. “Pepper, this is my whole world.”</p><p>“Charming,” Lucy commented, shaking her head.</p><p>Leslie grinned. “Do you want me to, um…?” she asked, staring at her dog, moving her hands around. “Or not,” she shrugged when Lucy kissed the top of Pepper’s head.</p><p>“I shall love you forever,” Lucy whispered, staring into the dog’s eyes.</p><p>Leslie cleared her throat. “Can I get in on that deal?” she asked, leaning against the door. “I reckon your heart is big enough for both of us.”</p><p>“Thy measuring skills aren’t wrong.”</p><p>“I’ll go grab his leash. I was just about to before you arrived,” Leslie spoke, turning around to gather her necessities.</p><p>Lucy wasn’t opposed to carrying Pepper, though she let Leslie do her thing, knowing dogs generally walked around with a leash attached to their collar. Meanwhile, she hoped Lena made a swift return home without too much anger about the fact Nia invited Kara over.</p><p>Leslie held out her arm. “Ready for our date, my cherry?”</p><p>Lucy accepted Leslie’s arm. “Thou aren’t speaking French, my beloved,” Lucy said, eyes smiling at her chosen companion. “How was your day?”</p><p>“Not the worst I’ve had, now that I have Pepper,” Leslie answered, smiling down at her dog. “I’m still clean and I’m managing my withdrawal better, really. Here, try it,” she said, holding up her wrist.</p><p>Lucy covered Leslie’s wrist with her hand. “I trust you on your word,” Lucy promised, “and I need not feed tonight.”</p><p>Stars were painted across the sky, bright little dots of light, promising life in the darkness. They were more vivid once upon a time, centuries ago, but beautiful still. Over the decades, Lucy photographed the moon and the stars, capturing their sight from different parts of the world.</p><p>“Close your eyes,” Leslie instructed, pecking Lucy’s cheek. “We’re almost there,” Leslie whispered after a short walk.</p><p>Lucy shut her eyes and awaited whichever plans her dear Lesleanna arranged for their date. She trusted Leslie with her life and no matter the surprise, all Lucy needed to enjoy this night was the company of her beloved one.</p><p>Music reached Lucy’s ears. From the crackling sounds, she guessed it was a record. She moved her head to the melody and the jazz-like undertones, which she loved so. Doris Day was one of her favorites in the fifties.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Stars fading but I linger on, dear ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Still craving your kiss ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ I'm longing to linger till dawn, dear ♪  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Just saying this ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“You can open your eyes now,” Leslie whispered, and when Lucy did, Leslie spun around in a clumsy circle. “May I have this dance?”</p><p>Lucy’s eyes traveled the space they were in. It was an old ballroom, missing its roof. There were candles everywhere, amidst the debris and cobwebs. Parts of the shattered tiles were adorned by rose petals.</p><p>“I kinda ran out of roses,” Leslie shared with a chuckle, catching Lucy’s eye.</p><p>“Do you know how to dance, Lesleanna?” Lucy questioned, extending her hand.</p><p>“Yeah, sure,” Leslie answered, shrugging a shoulder. “I know a few moves, leading, although most of it is improv.”</p><p>Pepper ran around, chasing his own tail. Meanwhile, Lucy and Leslie swayed to the music.</p><p>One sentence into their dance and Leslie stepped onto Lucy’s toes, though all Lucy did was laugh. She didn’t need Leslie to be the perfect ballerina or sweep her off of her feet with a gift for dancing when Leslie’s imperfections were what Lucy loved most.</p><p>“God, I’m being a total klutz,” Leslie groaned, laughing it off. “Wait, I wanna try something,” she mumbled, scooping Lucy up into her arms.</p><p>“Thou art my perfectly imperfect other half,” Lucy sighed dreamily, impressed Leslie did sweep her off of her feet after all.</p><p>Leslie set Lucy down, swayed on, and met Lucy halfway in a kiss.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena passed by the twins hurrying through the woods, running away from home rather than toward it, followed like a shadow by Reign. In a swift reflex, Lena grabbed Reign by her arm, frowning at her.</p><p>“It’s Nia,” Reign revealed in a whisper.</p><p>And admittedly, Lena knew Sarah and Zara were afraid of Nia, but this was ridiculous. Vampires weren’t the kind to cower in fear to the point of running. It was unnatural and weak.</p><p>“She brought a human home,” Reign added.</p><p>Lena tilted her head to the side. “No buffet?” she commented with a scoff, observing the twins clamping on to Reign’s legs.</p><p>
  <em>Something doesn’t add up. </em>
</p><p>“Don’t tell me Nia is having sex with a human,” Lena all but spat at the thought of a mortal in their forties getting their filthy hands on the teenage vampire.</p><p>Reign pressed her hands against Sarah and Zara's ears and covered their other ear with her legs.</p><p>“Bloody hell, they’re not innocent,” Lena pointed out.</p><p>“If you can recognize the fact Nia is a child then you should do the same for the twins.”</p><p>Lena snapped her mouth shut. As much as she hated to admit it, Reign was right. Although Lena still didn’t receive a proper explanation as to why the twins were so intent on putting distance between themselves and the mansion.</p><p>After the rough night she went through, Lena couldn’t deal with much more. In hindsight, she should have never waded into the ocean or at least have avoided swallowing heaps of water. It was an experience not worth repeating, but part of her needed it to clear her head.</p><p>During her brief distraction, Reign and the twins left, probably to hunt. For a moment, Lena paused and contemplated catching up with them to join them to make up for the blood she lost, but she changed her mind at Sarah and Zara’s distasteful ways of feeding. Reign, on the other hand, was fairly swift and efficient, something she ought to teach those demons sometime, seeing as how she was capable of controlling them.</p><p>Upon arrival at the mansion, Lena wasn’t sure what or whom to expect, but since the day she met Nia, she never thought the teenage vampire could be that stupid as to drag home the human who captured Lena’s heart. And she felt such a happenstance wasn’t a coincidence.</p><p>Lena knew Kara’s heartbeat and the scent that followed her anywhere. She swiftly took two steps at a time as she made her way up the stairs. Lena wished to slam Nia’s head through the wall, but she couldn’t express her anger in front of Kara, so instead Lena lingered near the door.</p><p>Lena curled her fingers into fists, glaring through the keyhole. Blood dripped from her palms, though as a vampire, those wounds healed almost as fast as she made them appear.</p><p>
  <em>One wrong move, one, and I’m ripping Nia’s heart out, whether Kara is there or not. </em>
</p><p>Kara sat cross-legged on Nia’s bed, opposite of the bratty teenager. She held Nia’s left hand with hers, while her other held a small brush. “Are you sure you don’t want a brighter color?” Kara queried, eyes drifting between Nia’s and the nail polish next to her knee.</p><p>“Black is fine,” Nia answered, wriggling her fingers.</p><p>Lena narrowed her eyes. Nia did paint her nails often, although normally when she was alone. Kara appeared fine, if not somewhat pale, which had her wonder if Kara needed something to eat. Mortals ate at random times and Lena didn’t put it past Kara to be hungry on the cusp of 10 p.m.</p><p>“You remind me of my sister when she was younger,” Kara shared with a hum, “although her hair was blue. She never let me touch her makeup, though.”</p><p>The sound of Kara’s voice calmed Lena, but not enough to subdue every trace of anger she felt.</p><p>“You can always touch mine,” Nia offered, smiling in a way that actually seemed genuine. “I don’t mind sharing and I have a lot more where this came from.”</p><p>Kara smiled back for a moment, but then it fell, and she bit her lip.</p><p>Lena swore her heart almost launched right out of her chest then and there. If Kara drew even a single droplet of blood, Nia was bound to lose control and attack.</p><p>“Do you think Lena will be home soon?” Kara pondered aloud.</p><p>
  <em>Is this why she is here? It’s my fault?</em>
</p><p>Nia’s gaze traveled toward the door. “Any second now,” she told Kara, “but who knows?”</p><p>“Are you sure she didn’t faint somewhere? She might need our help,” Kara said, putting the brush down, wringing her hands together. “She really wasn’t feeling too well today and I’ve seen her dizzy before, and I should have walked her home or called an Uber. She could be anywhere right now. Maybe I should call her.”</p><p>Nia put her little trinkets aside. “How long have you been in love with my sister?”</p><p>
  <em>I am not your sister, brat. </em>
</p><p>“I, err, um…,” Kara spluttered, cheeks going from near-white to bright red.</p><p>Lena decided she witnessed enough and had to end Kara’s suffering. “Kara?” she uttered, opening the door. “How did you get here?”</p><p>“Lena!” Kara exclaimed, leaping up from the bed. “Thank God you’re okay,” she breathed out, running into Lena’s arms, hugging her.</p><p>“I was at the hospital to increase the iron in my blood,” Lena shared before Kara had the chance to ask.</p><p>The details Lena kept to herself, however, was how she mowed through a gang of drug dealers who were brought in with gunshot wounds, and could now no longer sell their poison to Leslie. Then, she also hunted down the gang responsible for the shooting, disposing of them as well. Lena knew it wasn’t the solution to Leslie’s problem, but it sure as hell was better than doing nothing.</p><p>They had the worst blood Lena ever tasted, so the fact it all came out at the beach wasn’t too bad, everything considered.</p><p>“I’m okay,” Lena assured, rubbing Kara’s back.</p><p>“So, um,” Kara started, biting her lip when their hug broke. “I’m here because I called Nia. I’ve sort of had her number for a little while now. And, err, she invited me for a sleepover, but I won’t stay if you’re not comfortable with that and it’s okay if you’re not. It doesn’t have to change anything between us.”</p><p>“It’s late though,” Nia butted in.</p><p>Lena pulled Kara into another hug, just so she could glare at Nia over Kara’s shoulder. But Nia had a point and there was no way Lena was okay with letting Kara walk home alone at night. The woods were a maze and vampires weren’t the only dangerous creatures out there. Kara was no marshmallow, but she was human, and therefore not strong enough to fight a bear. And that was only if she got lucky.</p><p>
  <em>I hope Reign said her goodbyes to Nia. </em>
</p><p>“I do want you to stay,” Lena uttered softly, caressing Kara’s cheek, ignoring Nia’s smug grin.</p><p>Kara spun on the heel of her foot. “Sleepover time!” she cheered, wrapping her arms around Nia’s neck.</p><p>Lena’s eye twitched. She didn’t know what game Nia was playing, but she didn’t buy into the whole befriending Kara act and felt Nia did it on purpose to exploit her biggest weakness. Seeing the human she loved embrace that brat hit Lena where it hurt.</p><p>“I don’t have anything to wear though,” Kara sighed.</p><p>“I have tons of stuff, you can borrow something from me,” Nia replied, grasping Kara’s hand a little too quickly and carelessly for Lena’s liking. Nia pulled Kara over to her wardrobe and the excitement on Nia’s face was odd.</p><p>Nia hadn’t smiled like that since her first day as a vampire where she reveled at being reborn, or so the teenager had said. She showed Kara everything she had, talking about how she bought some pieces during vacations in Milan, Berlin, Paris, London, and Rome.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena gave Kara some privacy to get changed into the nightdress she borrowed from Nia, and in the meantime, she went to her room to place extra blankets onto her bed. The mansion wasn’t cold by any means, though it wasn’t warm either, and humans shivered easily in their sleep. Lena didn’t want Kara to catch a fever or clatter her teeth together. Luckily, she had plenty of spare sheets because as a vampire, she often tore hers by accident or on purpose.</p><p>Lena was alone in her chambers until she wasn’t.</p><p>“Do you love this mortal, sister?”</p><p>Lena sighed. “I am not having this conversation with you, Lucy,” she responded, continuing on with her task.</p><p>
  <em>Do not test me tonight. </em>
</p><p>Lucy, as usual, ignored the dismissal. Instead, she grabbed the outer ends of the blanket Lena was in the process of smoothing over her bed. “Perhaps caring for a heart that beats allows us to keep our humanity,” Lucy mused.</p><p>“Leslie,” Lena realized with a start, releasing her grip on the covers. “Tell me it isn’t true.”</p><p>Lucy looked away.</p><p>“Why must you choose <em>that</em> human,” Lena said, and while she came around on the idea of a vampire being interested in a mortal, there were limits. “She poisons her veins. She may as well be dead already. You cannot feel for her, Luce.”</p><p>“She feels for me.”</p><p>That wasn’t the point. It didn’t surprise Lena a mortal grew enchanted by Lucy; the softest, most gentle soul among vampires. Lucy was the only immortal who didn’t feed directly from the source unless a mortal consented to let her. Instead, she drank from blood bags.</p><p>“Addicts fixate,” Lena punctuated. She grabbed Lucy by her shoulders and shook. “She won’t love you once she finds her next high to chase,” Lena warned, shaking her head.</p><p>
  <em>Leslie doesn’t care about relationships, she told me so herself seven years ago. </em>
</p><p>Lena doubted over half a decade was enough for Leslie to change her mindset. Leslie was the kind of human other mortals called a heartbreaker. And Lena wasn’t keen on Lucy getting hurt, despite their differences. And the fact Lucy defended Leslie’s reckless behavior set off alarm bells in Lena’s head.</p><p>“You know nothing of her efforts, Magdalena,” Lucy spoke with an icy tone. “Stop patronizing her so. Thou can’t make decisions in my name either. I am thy elder, lest you forgot.”</p><p>
  <em>That is a mere technicality. </em>
</p><p>Lena knew Lucy was older than her because that bitch was the one who bit her in the first place. For a vampire elder than even Lena was, Lucy didn’t appear as such. She repeatedly positioned herself as fragile and sensitive.</p><p>“Fine, do as you please,” Lena uttered, tired trying to keep those two from digging their own graves. “I’ll stay out of your love life, so you better stay out of mine.”</p><p>“Do not shut me out, my dearest niece,” Lucy whispered, resting her hand on Lena’s shoulder, eyes downcast when Lena brushed off her hand.</p><p>“I need you to leave the way you do most nights. I don’t want you to meet Kara.”</p><p>In truth, Lena didn’t wish for Kara to know anyone from her coven, but Nia ruined that when she approached Kara without Lena’s permission. It was never Nia’s decision to make, and for that breach, Lena considered leaving.</p><p>Alas, that meant saying goodbye to Kara, which Lena wasn’t sure she was capable of.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena found out Kara was longer in Nia’s bathroom and instead was downstairs, talking to what sounded like the twins.</p><p>“You smell nice,” Zara spoke with that false angelic voice of hers.</p><p>“Aw, thank you, sweetie,” Kara replied, ever the sunshine. “I used some of Nia’s products and I bet if you’ll ask her, she’ll let you use them, too.”</p><p>“Are you nervous?” Sarah asked. “The vein in your neck is moving a lot.”</p><p>“Oh, um, I am a little, yes.”</p><p>Hearing those comments, Lena broke off Nia’s door handle and all but tumbled down the steps.</p><p>Kara looked up with that happy face of hers. “Has anyone ever told you Sarah and Zara are the spitting image of you?” she questioned, eyes sparkling.</p><p>Lena’s eyes turned into saucers while Nia, clearly humored, snorted. The twins were nothing like Lena, not one bit. This was a lot worse than the time Reign said Lucy looked to be Lena’s twin.</p><p>“It’s uncanny,” Kara went on, studying Lena, Sarah, and Zara. “It’s like they’re your children,” Kara stated with a laugh. “But I know they’re not because you don’t have any and you’re too young for them to be yours unless…oh.”</p><p>“I’m not fond of what you are implying, Kara,” Lena spoke as calmly as she could, drawing strength from the fact the twins didn’t show any sign of aggression. “They are not mine, Re- Rey is their mother,” she explained, although that wasn’t true either.</p><p>“Yes,” Reign confirmed. “I’m their mother and I adopted Nia and Lena. Sarah and Zara look up to Lena, and copy her in some ways.”</p><p>
  <em>Good save. Finally someone with half a brain around here. </em>
</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Kara uttered, biting her lip, and as endearing as that was, it was a dangerous thing to do in front of vampires. “Your twin sisters look a lot like you. I didn’t mean to imply you were pregnant when you were a teenager, or ever, even. And I know I kind of did imply that, which I shouldn’t have.”</p><p>“Wait until you meet Lucy,” Nia commented, winking at Lena.</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows creased together. “Who’s Lucy?”</p><p>“Don’t. You. Dare,” Lena warned Nia, furiously shaking her head.</p><p>Lena didn’t need a second occasion where someone claimed Lucy and she looked like twins. She nearly bit Reign’s head off for that one and Lena hated having her buttons pushed. She hoped her voiced irritation was enough to wise up Lucy not to show herself. Not yet, not tonight.</p><p>“My sister and I get into a lot of playful arguments, too,” Kara shared, innocent and clueless.</p><p>Reign crouched down, holding the twins close. “I’m proud of you, my angels,” she whispered, too quietly for a human to hear, kissing their foreheads.</p><p>For what it was worth, Lena supported the sentiment. It wasn’t easy to avoid temptation when this was supposed to be their private place to withdraw.</p><p>“Sarah and Zara are tired,” Reign announced. “I bid you all a good night,” she said, grabbing Sarah and Zara by the hand.</p><p>“Good night!” Kara called out after them. “It was lovely meeting you!”</p><p>
  <em>Mind your volume, darling, I beg of you. </em>
</p><p>“I’m feeling a little exhausted as well,” Lena yawned, stretching out her arms, and when she lowered them, she looped one around Kara’s waist.</p><p>“Me too,” Kara whispered, rubbing her eyes. “I think the walk here has worn me out.”</p><p>“I got you,” Lena promised, lifting Kara up, carrying her up the stairs.</p><p>Lena pushed her door open with her foot, glad she didn’t shut it earlier or else she likely would have kicked it in. She walked toward her bed and slowly lowered Kara, gently pulling her arms away. Each moment Lena spent with Kara, she felt her control on her strength either got better or wavered more.</p><p>The nightdress rode up Kara’s legs when she wriggled around to crawl under the sheets. “You have more blankets than I do,” she chuckled as the fabric exposed her thighs.</p><p>Lena gasped at the sight.</p><p>Both of Kara’s thighs were marked with a near-identical purple-greenish bruise. She quickly tugged at the dress to cover them up, but it was too late.</p><p>“Lena,” Kara whispered, reaching up. “It’s okay. I’m okay,” she said, cupping Lena’s cheeks, “look at me, I’m fine.”</p><p>“I get bruises all the time,” Kara shared as if that was supposed to be helpful. “Sometimes I get them from boxing or bumping into something at work or at home. It doesn’t hurt much. I only feel it a little and they’ll heal soon. Please don’t feel bad.”</p><p>
  <em>I harmed you. </em>
</p><p>Lena got under the covers as well. “I’m deeply sorry, Kara,” she voiced, keeping her distance. “I wish I could undo what I did.”</p><p>“Maybe you can kiss them better,” Kara suggested what that irresistible smile of hers.</p><p>Lena didn’t want to hurt Kara more by adding too much pressure, but she didn’t want to upset Kara either or make her feel unloved.</p><p>“Do your lips hurt by any chance?”</p><p>“Why yes, how did you know?”  Kara replied, scooting closer. “I think my whole face hurts and something tells me yours does, too.”</p><p>Down the hall, Lena heard several of the others snicker and laugh in silence. She knew they didn’t eavesdrop on purpose, but it was annoying regardless to have her privacy disturbed. Since it was dark out, they had every opportunity not to be home.</p><p>
  <em>Enjoy your fun while it lasts and taste my revenge later. </em>
</p><p>Reign muttered she and the twins were leaving, probably assuming Lena intended on having sexual intercourse with Kara, which wasn’t true.</p><p>Lena couldn’t get intimate with a human that way when she couldn’t even put her hands on Kara’s thighs without bruising her. And that was Lena’s pain to carry, to desire the one person she could barely touch.</p><p>With Reign away from the premises, Lena excused herself to the bathroom and went to threaten the others, swearing to expose them to the sun if they didn’t make themselves scarce for at least an hour.</p><p>“Are you fucking kidding me with these threats?” Nia groaned, rolling her eyes. “You’re the second one tonight,” she muttered lowly while she ran away.</p><p>Lena had no idea what the teenager was on about and it didn’t matter. She went back to Kara with a smile, alone at last, with nobody around to mock her for going soft.</p><p>“I believe I owe you some kisses,” Lena hummed, settling next to Kara.</p><p>Kara shifted closer, leaving mere inches between them. She lifted her hand to Lena’s hip. “Is this okay?” Kara asked, biting her lip as she moved her hand up a little.</p><p>Lena rolled onto her back, feeling the warmth of Kara’s palm on her stomach. She had to be cold to the touch, but Kara didn’t comment on that detail. “Yes,” Lena answered after a pause, eyes traveling between Kara’s and her hand which crept higher.</p><p>Kara leaned down, capturing Lena’s mouth with hers, letting out a sharp breath against Lena’s lips when her hand palmed Lena’s naked breast.</p><p>Lena opened up underneath Kara, tongue tracing Kara’s lips, quietly seeking permission. Lava pooled low in Lena’s belly when Kara pinched her nipple, but Lena was forced to keep it together, and she couldn’t touch Kara the way Kara touched her.</p><p>Boobs were soft and sensitive, and Lena knew in advance she lacked self-restraint to handle Kara’s with the care they deserved. Wanting to do something at least as Kara was on top of her, Lena placed her hands on Kara’s ass, holding her there as they kissed.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If anyone thought Lucy was all vanilla, ding dong you were wrong. </p><p>The song playing during Lena's scene is this one; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDboeQfAsww  <br/>It's a different version of the one you've probably heard, a darker one.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The neon sign changed its usual orange color to pink. It was ladies night, the one Friday night once a month where no men were allowed entrance at the movies, although some jokingly referred to it as lesbian lovers’ night. For an extra three dollars, women received the package deal of a movie, a drink, and a snack. Tonight, they were screening Miss Congeniality, a cool film about an agent going undercover by joining a beauty pageant.</p><p>It was one of Alex’s favorites. Not that her sister would ever admit it, but Kara knew for a fact Alex had two copies of that movie. Her sister enjoyed every film worth its salt if it involved an agent one way or another, and it didn’t hurt if it was a woman instead of a man. When they were younger, they used to pretend they were candidates and sang for the talent round.</p><p>Kara loved those memories and wondered if Lena had similar ones with Nia, although Lena seemed a little mad when Nia invited her over. Kara pretended she hadn’t noticed, but she did. She felt a lot of tension in the air that night.</p><p>“Are you sure she’s coming?” Alex questioned, glancing at her watch. “She’s cutting it kind of late.”</p><p>Kara watched as the line in front of her ticked on.</p><p>“The movie doesn’t start for another half an hour, Al,” Kelly pointed out, rubbing her girlfriend’s back. “We can wait five more minutes.”</p><p>Kara chewed her lip. “She should be here by now,” she reasoned, searching the street behind her.</p><p>She told Lena the exact time of the movie and Kara specifically mentioned it was a double date with her sister and her sister’s girlfriend, which Lena said was fine. Kara was a little hyped up already, eager to introduce Lena to Alex and Kelly, especially after she met Lena’s family a week ago.</p><p>An incoming call had Kara jump. “Oh, it’s her!” she exclaimed with a smile, picking up. “Lena, hi!” she spoke, looking for her as more people arrived.</p><p>“Hello, Kara. I am calling to let you know I cannot be there.”</p><p>
  <em>Noooo. </em>
</p><p>“Oh,” Kara frowned. “Why?”</p><p>“I have a migraine.”</p><p>“Oh, um…I hope you’ll feel better soon,” Kara uttered, somewhat disappointed, but it wasn’t Lena’s fault.</p><p>Alex put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. “I take it she’s not coming?”</p><p>“Babe…,” Kelly interrupted with a glance.</p><p>Alex sighed, dropping her hands.</p><p>“She’s not,” Kara confirmed, casting her eyes down for a moment. “She’s not feeling well, so she can’t make it.”</p><p>“Which could have happened to anyone of us,” Kelly reasoned, ever the peacemaker.</p><p>“Right,” Alex mumbled, sighing loudly. “We’ll go wait in line then? Kara?”</p><p>Kara nodded. She came here to watch a movie, so she was going to. It did bum her out Lena wasn’t able to join, but those migraines of her were no joke, and this place wasn’t exactly quiet. But it was dark out, so at least Lena didn’t have to tape her windows shut.</p><p>Although, Kara recalled Lena’s bedroom didn’t have a window at all and neither did Nia’s. She chalked it up to the mansion being old and built differently, or maybe it was done on purpose to avoid a creepy view of the woods at night.</p><p>“I’ve got the drinks,” Alex spoke, once inside. “Thank you for giving me the number of that nanny, by the way,” she told Kara, “they are great.”</p><p>“Always happy to help,” Kara assured with a smile, glad Barney had the opportunity to earn some more money. “I’ll get the popcorn,” she said, licking her lips.</p><p>“Try not to eat half of it in advance this time,” Alex commented with a knowing look.</p><p>“I’ll run ahead and find us some seats,” Kelly announced.</p><p>
  <em>Fingers crossed for the back row. </em>
</p><p>Kara had a smile on her face, which could have been a lot bigger with Lena by her side. Her mood improved a little when she plopped down next to her sister, snatching the three last seats of the back row. On the downside, Kara now found herself squeezed in between two couples.</p><p>Kelly and Alex were obviously together, and the two ladies on Kara’s left were as well, from the way they drowned into each other’s eyes. One of them had brown hair, woven into intricate braids, and the other had shoulder-length blonde wavy locks.</p><p>“Clarke,” the blonde spoke, catching Kara’s eyes. “And this is my girlfriend, Lexa,” Clarke introduced the woman she was with.</p><p>“I’m Kara,” Kara replied with a polite smile. “And this is my sister, Alex, and her girlfriend, Kelly.”</p><p>“Lesbian lovers night, am I right?” Clarke winked at Alex and Kelly, chuckling.</p><p>“Shh, don’t tell anyone,” Alex whispered, smiling as she held a finger to her lips.</p><p>“Don’t believe her,” Lexa said, not reacting when Clarke elbowed her ribs. “She’s bisexual.”</p><p>“And proud,” Clarke added, raising her drink.</p><p>Kara wrapped her fingers around her drink, quickly lifting it up. “I’m pansexual and proud,” she shared, bumping her cup against Clarke’s.</p><p>The five of them quieted down when the movie began, partially because other people hushed them. Kara was okay with the company she had, but she missed Lena nonetheless. Falling in love made it difficult when plans fell through. Kara hadn’t talked about those feelings with Lena, and she wasn’t going to because they weren’t officially a couple yet.</p><p>Kara felt they were, but she hadn’t asked, and neither did Lena. They kissed way too much to just be two people who casually dated one another, though.</p><p>“My fingers are sticky,” Alex mumbled, wriggling them. “It’s like they make their popcorn sticky on purpose.”</p><p>“I’ll get that for you, babe,” Kelly replied, grasping Alex’s fingers.</p><p>Kara tore her gaze away from them when Kelly sucked Alex’s fingers clean, focusing on the screen instead. But that was easier said than done when she automatically overheard everything they said, and when it wasn’t those two lovebirds, it was Clarke and Lexa locking lips and moaning a little too loud to be subtle.</p><p>
  <em>Why, God, why?</em>
</p><p>Kara’s mind flooded with the memory of the feel of Lena’s soft, round boobs, like two pillows she wanted to bury her head between. Although if she was honest, what Kara really wanted was to put her head further south. It truly surprised her how well Lena behaved when she spent the night in Lena’s bed. While Lena was a passionate kisser and on fire when she deepened a kiss, she hadn’t gone further than that.</p><p>That woman’s self-control was a tad infuriating when Kara sometimes simply wanted to rip off Lena’s clothes and explore to the point of curling Lena’s toes.</p><p>
  <em>I need to get laid. </em>
</p><p>Kara shrugged her thoughts away. If she got wet now, it would be really uncomfortable to sit through the rest of the movie and walk home after. God, her sister was seated right next to her! She had to get a grip on her hormones.</p><p>Thinking about her sister helped control her thirst until an idea popped up in Kara’s head. She excused herself to go pee, knowing what was going to happen in the movie anyway and unlocked her phone. Kara wasn’t the greatest at this kind of thing, but she tussled her hair and undid two buttons of her shirt in the hopes her picture would come out somewhat sexy.</p><p>Kara snapped two; one smiling and the other biting her lip. She sent both of them to Lena, with the caption ‘feel better yet?’</p><p>
  <em>Did I just do that?</em>
</p><p>Kara put her phone down next to the sink, turned on the water, and splashed some cold water onto her face. She almost swiped her phone under the stream when she saw Lena calling her.</p><p>“Oh fuck,” Kara whispered, wet fingers struggling to pick up. “Lena, um, how you doin?” she mumbled into her phone, covering her face with her free hand.</p><p>“Better after seeing those photographs of yours.”</p><p>Lena’s voice was sultry and downright dirty, causing Kara to soak through her underwear. Her eyes went round, mouth agape when Lena moaned.</p><p>“A-are…yo-you…,” Kara choked out. “Movies!” she squeaked.</p><p>“Pardon, darling?”</p><p>“I um, I’m movies,” Kara answered, face red. “The movies I’m at now,” she uttered, further embarrassing herself while Lena laughed on the other end of the line.</p><p>“I’ll cut you some slack. Only because you’re you. But if you would be so kind as to do me a favor?”</p><p>“Uh, sure, yes, anything,” Kara replied, relieved her torture was almost over.</p><p>“Let me know when you are home so we can continue our…activities.”</p><p>“Fuck me,” Kara whispered under her breath, and she thought she heard Lena say something, but she couldn’t make out the words, and it probably wasn’t even English.</p><p>
  <em>I didn’t say that out loud, did I?</em>
</p><p>“I’ll let you know,” Kara promised, wetting her dry lips with her tongue. “But, um, if in the, uh, meantime you, uh, want to send, err, a picture,” she suggested, feeling quite parched and hot.</p><p>“On Instagram?”</p><p>“No!” Kara blurted out, eyes wide.</p><p>She couldn’t tell if Lena was teasing or if she was actually serious about posting it on Instagram for all to see, although the last Kara checked, the only people following Lena’s Instagram were Leslie, a couple of bots, and Kara. The idea of Lena sharing a saucy selfie with others made Kara’s insides twist in a bad way.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara glanced down at her pajamas. The shirt and pants were both green with tiny dancing bananas, which Kara thought was perfect for her sleepover with Nia. She had a nice time interacting with Lena’s sister that night at the mansion and they had been texting each other every day since, so Kara figured it was a good idea to invite Nia over.</p><p>While Nia’s first impression at the gym wasn’t the greatest, the girl really made an effort of making Kara feel welcomed when she went to Lena’s house. Plus, she thought it was kind Nia walked through the woods with her, making that trip twice, just so Kara wasn’t alone. Those little things gave her the feeling she had a friend in Nia.</p><p>“Open up, Kara!” Nia suddenly called out, though not unfriendly.</p><p>Kara walked over to her door and when she swung it open, she was met by Nia with her hands full. The teenager had a beauty case in one hand and a rucksack in the other.</p><p>“Hey, hi,” Kara greeted with a smile. “Here, let me help you,” she offered, reaching out a hand. “Come on in.”</p><p>“Your pajamas are ridiculous,” Nia commented with a laugh. “Wait until you see mine.”</p><p>“I can show you where my bathroom is if you want to go change first?”</p><p>Nia put her things down. “Where is your cat?” she questioned, peering around. “I brought him some catnip.”</p><p>“He loves catnip,” Kara replied, surprised Nia picked up the same habit Lena did, but Kara understood nobody was immune to Mister Jingles’ cuteness. “I think he’s in my bedroom. He normally always follows me wherever I go, but I gave him some yarn and now it’s everywhere, and when I tried to take it away he ran under my bed with the yarn in his mouth. But other than that Mister Jingles is an angel…mostly.”</p><p>“Lena was right, you do ramble a lot,” Nia said, again not unkindly.</p><p>“She mentioned me?” Kara queried. “Does she, um, talk about me a lot?”</p><p>“Here and there,” Nia answered, unzipping her rucksack, taking out clothes. “Have you told her you love her yet?”</p><p>Kara was too distracted to respond to that. “Are those…your pajamas?” she asked, pointing at the black outfit decorated with skulls, which reminded her of Halloween.</p><p>“It was either this, lingerie, or nothing at all,” Nia stated, lifting her brows. “I mean, I’m no prude, but, you know.”</p><p>“No, it’s great,” Kara assured, a little flushed.</p><p>
  <em>Ignore the teasing it’s just part of her personality. </em>
</p><p>Moving on from the awkwardness, Kara showed Nia the bathroom and gave the teen some privacy to get ready for their sleepover. Maybe Kara was getting too old for those things, but when she was younger, the only person who ever invited her without hoping she would bring her popular sister along, was her best friend, Imra. And Kara wanted to bond with Lena’s family.</p><p>“Mister Jingles,” Kara called, trying to lure him out with treats when her phone dinged.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Lena </strong><strong>&lt;3 </strong><strong>[8:22 pm]:</strong> Is Nia behaving? If not, sleeping on your couch won’t hurt her back.</p><p><strong>Kara</strong> <strong>[8:23 pm]: </strong>everything is fine</p><p><strong>Kara</strong> <strong>[8:23 pm]: </strong>does it bother u i’ll be sharing a bed with her?</p><p><strong>Kara</strong> <strong>[8:24 pm]: </strong>i can sleep on the couch, no prob</p><p> </p><p>Kara chewed her lip. If Alex ever wanted to invite Lena for a sleepover in the future, Kara had no issue with that because she trusted her sister and Lena. Kara really hoped Lena didn’t think anything weird about her for having Nia over. Nia was a teenager, literally underage, and Kara wasn’t a cheater. She would never do that to Lena or to anybody.</p><p>As always, Lena’s reply was painfully slow.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Lena </strong><strong>&lt;3 </strong><strong>[8:36 pm]: </strong>I trust you, darling. And Rey asked me to tell you she expects Nia home at 6 a.m.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Six in the morning? The sun doesn’t rise until 5:45 a.m., it’ll be dark out when Nia leaves. </em>
</p><p>With a deep sigh, Kara assured Lena she would wake Nia up in time to send her home. Kara didn’t like the idea of setting an alarm to go off at 5 a.m., but she respected Rey’s decision as Nia’s parent.</p><p>“Your mother wants you home tomorrow morning at six,” Kara informed the teenager when she emerged from the bathroom.</p><p>“Okay,” Nia nodded, taking it surprisingly well, and a lot better than Kara did. “Lena will probably pick me up around five,” Nia hummed, gathering her hair in a ponytail. “I can sneak out in the morning if you like to sleep in a little.”</p><p>“I’ll think about it,” Kara promised.</p><p>Kara thought of waking up early either way. In the best case, she had the chance to steal a quick kiss from Lena, and in the worst one where nobody showed up to pick up Nia, she got to go on a healthy, long morning walk with the teenager.</p><p>“Are you up for some fun or do you want to worry some more first?” Nia commented dryly, bursting Kara’s bubble.</p><p>Ten minutes and a wild goose chase after Mister Jingles and his yarn later, Kara sat down on her bed with Nia while Billie Eilish’s music played quietly in the background. Nia hummed along a few lines, which meant the teenager didn’t hate Kara’s music taste, at least.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Why aren’t you scared of me? ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Why do you care for me? ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kara sucked her thumb where Mister Jingles accidentally scratched her. It was a shallow wound, not that deep to slap a band-aid around it, but the moment it happened, Nia went into another room and said she couldn’t stand the sight of blood.</p><p>Nia flicked her eyes up, staring at Kara’s hand while she gripped her beauty case.</p><p>Kara popped her thumb out of her mouth. “Sorry,” she mumbled, clearing her throat. “So, um, what was your life like before you were adopted?”</p><p>“I grew up with an older sister before Rey took me in,” Nia answered, sorting out the contents of her beauty case. “It feels strange to be the big sister now, to the twins at least.”</p><p>“What happened to your parents and sister?” Kara questioned, biting her lip. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t-”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Nia sighed, smiling thinly. “They died in a fire. It happened a long time ago and I’ve moved on.”</p><p>Kara wasn’t sure what to say. It sounded terrible Nia lost her biological family in such a tragic event. “I’m glad you made it out okay,” Kara uttered, squeezing Nia’s shoulder.</p><p>
  <em>I want to hug her, but I don’t want to overwhelm her. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah,” Nia whispered nodding. “I made it out.”</p><p>
  <em>If you need to cry, my shoulder is available. </em>
</p><p>“So,” Nia began, picking out nail polish. “What’s your family like?”</p><p>“I have a sister, Alex. She’s four years older than me, so I’m not someone’s big sister, but I think I probably would have liked to be. Alex has this constant pressure of having to look out for me and protect me, and sometimes I wish I could do that for her instead. I mean, not that I don’t, but the balance is different. Our parents pretty much pushed her to be a role model for me and sometimes it felt like having three parents rather than two.”</p><p>Nia held up two small bottles. “Do you want the baby blue or the sparkling one?”</p><p>“You can choose,” Kara answered, although she had a preference for the baby blue one. “Do you go to school in National City?”</p><p>“I’m homeschooled.”</p><p>“Oh okay, so um, do you have friends?”</p><p>“Not really, I live a pretty secluded life.”</p><p>“I want to hug you,” Kara confessed. “Is it okay if I do?”</p><p>“I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, but I’ll take the hug,” Nia compromised, opening her arms.</p><p>Kara stayed up with Nia until ten, deciding that was late enough when they had to wake up crazy early. She feigned a yawn, relieved when the teenager rubbed her eyes and yawned as well. The longer she knew Nia, the more Kara saw her as a little sister she wanted to protect, while truthfully they didn’t meet that long ago.</p><p>Kara tucked her blankets around Nia and curled up behind her, smiling softly when the teenager turned around to face her. “I like what you’ve done to my nails,” Kara whispered, wriggling her fingers, admiring the light blue.</p><p>“Can I tell you a bedtime story until you fall asleep? It’ll help me sleep better.”</p><p>“Um, sure, I don’t see why not,” Kara answered, tucking her hand between her pillow and her cheek.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It took a rejected picnic date and canceling on grabbing pizza together for Kara to question Lena’s behavior. There were other strange things Kara couldn’t wrap her head around, but the longer she knew Lena, the more things didn’t add up. She had the daunting feeling Lena had some sort of secret second life. Kara knew in her gut Lena kept something from her.</p><p>And if they were to keep dating, Kara wanted clarity. She still had no idea whether Lena had a job or not, and if the answer was the latter, Kara didn’t know why Lena bailed on multiple of her ideas. And if it was the former, then Kara wondered why Lena was so secretive about it. She briefly entertained the thought of Lena being a sex worker, which Kara had no problem with if that was the case. It was hard work, and while Kara had no personal interest in such a job, she didn’t find it shameful there were people who did.</p><p>“Imra, finally!” Kara exclaimed like she was about to burst.</p><p>“Hey,” Imra replied, exhaling a ragged breath. “I got here as fast as I could, where’s the fire?”</p><p>“I have some concerns about Lena and I’m not sure if I’m reading too much into her behavior or if I’m right to think some things don’t make sense, and I can’t get it out of my head,” Kara answered, chewing her lip.</p><p>
  <em>Maybe I have it all wrong.</em>
</p><p>“How about I order your favorite, on me,” Imra offered, “and you tell me everything that’s going on.”</p><p>Imra went to get their food while Kara worried at their table, wondering if she fretted over nothing. She bounced her leg, biting the inside of her cheek until it bled. Her mind went into full overdrive, stealing away her appetite.</p><p>“… I mean, she never even drinks a sip of water,” Kara explained over a slice of a pizza. “That’s not normal, right? And she never accepts food dates, although she did have popcorn with me on our second date…I’m confused.”</p><p>“It’s understandable to feel that way and you have every right to,” Imra spoke reassuringly. “Have you communicated your concerns to her?”</p><p>“Well…no,” Kara admitted, putting her pizza down. “I suppose I should say something to her,” she realized, nodding.</p><p>Kara knew her best friend was right. It was important to talk things over because nobody could read minds, and if she didn’t say something to Lena, then it all festered inside of her even more. Kara found it somewhat dreadful to face what could always twist into a verbal fight, though Lena was kind and gentle when the infatuation comment struck the wrong cord.</p><p>“Speaking of communicating,” Kara started, resting her chin on the palm of her hand, elbow leaning onto the table. “Did you go back to the club to see Gayle?”</p><p>Imra’s smile was instant. “I danced with her again,” she answered, cheeks flushed. “We exchanged phone numbers and she told me I’m welcome at her place if I ever want to have a good time.”</p><p>Kara whistled. “Get it, girl,” she said, snapping her fingers three times in sync with her words.</p><p>
  <em>My best friend is going to fall in love and it’s going to be so beautiful and we’ll be each other’s bridesmaid someday and it’ll be perfect. </em>
</p><p>“Oh you know it,” Imra winked, laughing.</p><p>“I’m happy someone finally opened their eyes to see what a catch you are because look at you, you’re drop-dead gorgeous,” Kara praised, raising her fingertips to her lips. “Truly, mwah, chef’s kiss.”</p><p>“Chef’s kiss,” Imra repeated, snorting. “No wonder your sister used to ship us.”</p><p>
  <em>I’m not blind and I can find a woman attractive without wanting to get into her pants. </em>
</p><p>“If Alex thinks we should be a couple just because I praise you lots, she clearly didn’t pay attention to the way I talk to food.”</p><p>“Anyway,” Imra moved on, dabbing her napkin around her mouth. “What are you doing next Friday night?”</p><p>“Nothing yet,” Kara answered, almost sure she didn’t have work that day either.</p><p>“There’s a bonfire in the woods next Friday, starts around nine. You game?”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got food in my tummy,” Kara sang, wiping her hands on her apron to dust off the flour.</p><p>She grabbed the plate filled with unbaked rainbow chocolate chip cookies and carefully shoved it into the oven, which she remembered to preheat. Kara twisted the top of her egg-shaped timer to go off in fifteen minutes.</p><p>“I better not fudge these up again,” Kara murmured, though this time she had a backup batch in her cupboard, courtesy of Kelly, aka, her future sister in law.</p><p>Kara grabbed a wooden spatula and stirred her pasta sauce around. It was a family recipe her Nan taught her before she passed away, and it was delicious. She glanced over her shoulder, smiling at her accomplished work, knowing Lena was bound to show up at her door any minute.</p><p>A candlelit dinner was pretty much Kara’s vision of a dream date. The champagne glasses weren’t exactly placed according to proper etiquette and neither was the cutlery or the plates, but those details were trivial, and Kara felt it was homier that way than following the strict outlines of a restaurant.</p><p>“Coming!” Kara called out when she heard knocking on her door. “Just a, ah, minute!” she added, checking her hair in the reflection of a spoon.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t see any dough in my hair. All good to go. </em>
</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Kara let Lena in with a kiss.</p><p>“Surprise,” Kara announced, gesturing proudly at the table.</p><p>“Oh,” Lena uttered, clicking her tongue. She sucked her lips into her mouth and blinked a lot. “Those candles are lovely,” she said, her voice coming out rasped and strained.</p><p>Kara had anticipated a slightly more enthusiastic response or a smile, at least. Maybe Lena hated surprises and Kara was wrong to think she didn’t. Lena caught Kara off guard before, several times, so Kara naturally assumed it was fine to do the same to her.</p><p>
  <em>Who doesn’t love the smell of cookies? </em>
</p><p>“I’m making rainbow chocolate chip cookies,” Kara shared, excited to find out the result soon. She wasn’t that good a cook, but she tried her best to make tonight special.</p><p>“I’m lactose intolerant,” Lena replied, knocking that ball right out of the park. “And while I truly appreciate the effort you’ve made, I already ate.”</p><p>Kara opened and closed her mouth. She never asked if Lena had any allergies and she hadn’t told Lena yet she was allergic to kiwi, and okay, Kara didn’t warn Lena this date included food, so expecting her to come over with an empty stomach was probably unrealistic.</p><p>“Okay, more for me then,” Kara went on with a smile, but at the same time, a weight pressed against her chest. In an attempt to stay optimistic, she scooped up a spoonful of her Nan’s pasta sauce recipe. “You should try this,” she said, eyes beaming as she held it up to Lena. “If it’s not the best sauce you’ve ever tasted, I’ll give you ten dollars,” Kara added with a confident chuckle.</p><p>Lena didn’t open her mouth. She averted her eyes, throat bobbing.</p><p>
  <em>Why won’t she have a taste? </em>
</p><p>Defeated, Kara put the spoon in the sink. “Do you want something to drink?” she asked, opening her refrigerator to show the countless options she had.</p><p>“No, thank you,” Lena passed with a smile that looked more like a grimace. “I am not thirsty.”</p><p>Kara closed her refrigerator and focused on her breathing. “Do you want to do something together Sunday morning?” she questioned, purely because they never hung out during the day, except for the time Lena was bedridden due to a migraine for a day.</p><p>“I can’t,” Lena answered, raising more red flags.</p><p>
  <em>What are you hiding from me, Lena?</em>
</p><p>Kara couldn’t swallow it down anymore. “Why won’t you taste the food I made?” she blurted out. “I’m not asking you to eat a portion, all I ask is if you’d taste it, just…one spoon, why is that so impossible for you?”</p><p>Kara buried her hands in her hair. “I wanted to share my family recipe with you and you look like the thought of tasting it is enough to make you sick, and I don’t get it,” she uttered, shaking her head. “You said no when I asked if you wanted to have a picnic with me and you said no when I asked you to get some pizza together.”</p><p>Lena’s jaw tensed. “What’s up with the third degree?” she replied, voice thinly veiled with anger. “I’m on a special diet, which I need to respect to stay healthy. And I apologize if that upsets you. I wish I could enjoy all types of things the way you do when you smack your lips and mumble praises, but I can’t. It makes me sick when I try.”</p><p>Kara’s shoulders sagged. “I don’t understand your diet,” she admitted, never having received any explanation whatsoever. “But I don’t need to understand something to respect it, so I’ll stop pushing so hard,” she relented, hating being at odds with Lena.</p><p>Lena sighed. “Thank you.”</p><p>Kara rubbed her arm. “Is it okay if we hug it out?”</p><p>Kara was met by silence. She barely managed to breathe while Lena caressed her cheek.</p><p>Lena slowly wrapped her arms around Kara. “One day I will tell you everything,” Lena whispered in Kara’s ear, stroking her back.</p><p>“Baby steps,” Kara agreed, unsure whether their argument was resolved or not.</p><p>Kara felt saddened their candlelit dinner fell through and for every question she had, two more popped up. After all the dates they had, Lena remained a mystery, and something about her was so intricately complex, Kara wondered if untangling that web would lead to a closet full of skeletons or a beautiful discovery.</p><p>Kara ate her pasta alone while Lena observed her from the chair opposite of her. The leftovers wound up stored in containers in Kara’s refrigerator, one for Eve and one for herself. Kara pulled through until her cookies ended up burnt. As she stood in front of the trash bin, disposing of them, her eyes filled with tears.</p><p>Lena put the plate aside and walked Kara over to the couch. Kara couldn’t hold it in, letting her tears stream freely down her cheeks while Lena’s thumbs wiped them away.</p><p>“Quia tetigit cor meum cum vobis clamate (it breaks my heart seeing you cry),” Lena whispered, kissing Kara’s left cheek and then the right.</p><p>“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Kara sighed, drying her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m such a mess,” she said with a laugh.</p><p>“You are not a mess, Kara. You are human, and I…,” Lena trailed off, muttering words in a foreign language again, far beyond Kara’s comprehension. “Lo Siento por ti (I feel for you),” Lena whispered, pressing her lips to Kara’s.</p><p>
  <em>It’s unfair when she does that. I want to know what she said. </em>
</p><p>Kara knew how to say ‘I love you’ in multiple languages, which was pretty much it, but she didn’t pick up on that sort of thing.</p><p>“Are you free Friday night?” Kara questioned while their eyes met. “There’s a bonfire in the woods that night, around nine. I’ll be there, so I was hoping you’d be there, too?”</p><p>“Iré a cualquier lado contigo (I will go anywhere with you).”</p><p>“Leeenaaaa,” Kara groaned. “You’re sexy when you talk like that, but if you could just give me a quick yes or no in English, it’d be really helpful.”</p><p>Kara shuddered when Lena kissed the shell of her ear. “Yes,” Lena husked, lips inching closer to Kara’s mouth.</p><p>Kara claimed Lena’s lips with hers, hands grabbing Lena’s shirt, tugging it up.</p><p>Kara lifted her shirt over her head, breath shuddering as Lena’s eyes dropped to her bra. She reached behind her back, undoing the clasp to put Lena on edge more. Kara slid the straps down her arms, all the while Lena’s mouth was slightly ajar.</p><p>Lena reached out with a trembling hand, leaving it in the air between them. “Slow down,” she pleaded, lip quivering.</p><p>“Okay,” Kara uttered, stilling. “If you want I can put my shirt back on and – oh.”</p><p>Kara tipped her head back when Lena’s lips graced her neck, shivering at the scrape of Lena’s teeth.</p><p>“If you’re into biting, I don’t mind,” Kara spoke, closing her eyes. “Just try not to leave any hickeys, people will tease me if I show up with a scarf, and I’ll never live it down.”</p><p>Out of nowhere, Lena’s tongue touched Kara’s nipple, and she wanted to take Lena to her bed, but Lena didn’t go any further. And by the time Lena left, Kara found herself in urgent need of a cold shower.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Kara knows something is off and Lena is running out of excuses :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter is longer than the others because I wanted to include both Lena and Kara's point of view.<br/>Anyways, I hope you enjoy it :-)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moonlight shone onto Lena’s pale skin as she sat under a willow tree. Her continued secrecy toward the one she loved tugged at the very fabric of her being. She promised Kara to tell her everything someday, though Lena wasn’t sure when precisely. Over the centuries, the only humans who knew of her true nature were those sufficing as a blood source, while she provided them with food and other necessities.</p><p>It was so easy then. All Lena ever had to do was find those who were broken and desperate enough to strike a deal. There were plenty of those on the streets and she cared for them to an extent, though never truly connected with either one of them enough to hold them in her heart. Roaming the earth as long as she had, Lena never thought love was possible until she met Kara, who thawed her heart. And now, everything they built rested on lies.</p><p>Lena knew Kara grew suspicious of her odd ways. The argument they had cut her deep when she couldn’t taste the food Kara made, despite wanting to. She put tears in Kara’s eyes that night and while they made up, Lena felt she hadn’t repaired anything at all.</p><p>“Lena, you coming in?” Nia whispered, poking her head outside. “The bonfire’s in two hours.”</p><p>Faster than the speed of light, Lena got up and ran over to Nia.</p><p>“I’ll have to tell her someday,” Lena said, making her way to her chambers.</p><p>Her feet barely touched the stairs. It made Lena feel light as a feather and free, yet invisible shackles held her down. Vampires weren’t capable of flying, unfortunately, though walking around on the tips of her toes formed no issue for Lena, and as an added bonus, she could leap high and far enough to jump from the bottom of the steps to the top. But she didn’t because it was against Reign’s rules after another vampire broke through the floorboard.</p><p>“I guess you do,” Nia sighed, opening Lena’s wardrobe upon entering her room. “Does that scare you?”</p><p>“I am not sure how to feel,” Lena answered in earnest. “If Kara rejects me for my nature, she’ll be safer for it, and if she accepts me for all I am, I don’t know where to go from there.”</p><p>
  <em>Why am I discussing this with the brat?</em>
</p><p>Lena’s true fear was putting her heart on her sleeve and being rejected for it in a way she couldn’t recover from. It made her feel vulnerable to even think about opening up, to let Kara in and set up camp inside of her heart. Lena’s instinct to run kicked in every time they kissed, but harming Kara by abandoning her resulted in unbearable pain, leaving Lena caught in the middle.</p><p>Nia nodded. “Feelings are complicated, but I can see why you’re fond of Kara specifically. She’s not the worst human out there,” she uttered, which meant a lot.</p><p>Lena smiled at that, at the way Kara wriggled her way into the most stubborn of hearts. She hoped the opposite was true as well, although Lena’s mind battled with her heart. Her mind told her to let go because no future existed between a vampire and a human, but at the same time her heart wanted to defy those odds.</p><p>
  <em>The deeper I go, the more I drown within, and threaten to suffocate. </em>
</p><p>Lena shut her eyes for a moment. With two hours left to prepare, she had to ensure not to leave before drinking her fill, which meant she was on a tight schedule. Perhaps, in hindsight, she should have protested against the others joining her to the bonfire. Then again, Reign grounded the twins from going, which was better than nothing.</p><p>Nia studied Lena’s options and her physique. “Hmm, I’m thinking cherry lipstick,” Nia whispered, “and a killer dress.”</p><p>Lena quirked a brow. She had a fair amount of dresses, though none she wore often. “You want me to walk through the mud in my high heels?”</p><p>
  <em>Can’t I go without shoes and wear a dress long enough to hide my feet? </em>
</p><p>“With those legs of yours? Hell yes,” Nia shot back, pressing her index finger and her thumb together as she held up her hand. “And it’s not that muddy, so don’t be dramatic.”</p><p>“A dress and high heels it is,” Lena agreed, pouring herself a cup of blood from her private collection.</p><p>She lifted the cup to her lips, taking a slow slip. Blood was best enjoyed when treated like fine wine, and the fact Lena stole it only added to the taste. She ought to thank Kara for reminding her blood banks existed and kept fresher blood than hospitals did, tapped right from the source. Though not really, Lena doubted Kara would be appreciative of her theft.</p><p>
  <em>At least nobody died for this blood. I count that as a fair compromise. </em>
</p><p>“Let’s see which of these brings out your cleavage the most,” Nia uttered while she selected two dresses.</p><p>“My legs and my boobs? I want Kara to keep breathing, dear,” Lena mused, humored at the thought of what that combination would do to Kara, something she was eager to find out.</p><p>For efficiency purposes, Lena ripped the clothes she had on until they were nothing more but shreds on her bedroom floor.</p><p>“You have no patience,” Nia gasped, staring at the ruined fabric. “This is a crime against fashion.”</p><p>“You know I find undressing in slow-motion terribly tedious. If anything, fashion is a crime against us.”</p><p>Lena humored the thought of wearing a metal suit, in true knight’s fashion, although those restricted her movements and the clattering sound was a burden on her sensitive ears. There were no ideal clothes for vampires that didn’t tear easily or exploited their weaknesses. If someone were to ever invent those, Lena placed all bets on Nia being the one to pull it off.</p><p>“I’m going to help you into this one,” Nia decided with a hum while her pinky held up a coat hanger with a dress attached to it. “If you don’t do exactly as I say and ruin this fine material, I’ll tell Kara what we are.”</p><p>Lena let out a growl. “Brat,” she mouthed. “Just get it over with.”</p><p>
  <em>If she thinks for even a second I’ll give her the chance to reveal our secret, she’s sourly mistaken. </em>
</p><p>A love for fashion was no reason to place such a threat. Nia ought to respect her elders, the way humans tended to respect theirs. There was no way in hell Nia could ever outrun Lena and nowhere in the world would be safe for the teenager if she exposed Lena’s secret to Kara.</p><p>“You haven’t harmed Kara yet,” Lena noted. “I strongly advise you keep it that way or else…,” she trailed off, running her thumb across Nia’s lips, “I’ll have to ruin that pretty face of yours. It would be such a pity to destroy all of that youth and beauty,” Lena sighed, brushing her free hand through Nia’s hair.</p><p>Nia took a step back and touched her fingertips to her teeth, eyes round.</p><p>
  <em>There’s your weakness. I got you now, brat. </em>
</p><p>“Stop, just stop,” Nia said, hand hovering in front of her mouth. “Lucy already got to me, okay?”</p><p>Lena tilted her head to the side. “Lucy?” she questioned with a frown.</p><p>Nia dropped her hand. “Do you want my help or not?” she asked, dangling the dress in front of Lena.</p><p>
  <em>I suppose I’ve made my point. </em>
</p><p>“Yes,” Lena answered, lifting up her left foot. “Has Lucy said something to you?”</p><p>“Can we forget about it? I want to have fun tonight instead of fighting with you again.”</p><p>“Fine,” Lena whispered, stepping into her dress.</p><p>Nia lifted it up to Lena’s knees, stopped there, and adjusted her grip. Tongue poking out of her mouth, Nia inched the fabric higher while Lena stood like a rock even the crashing waves of the sea couldn’t force to budge. In her head, she sang a song to pass the time as Nia did her thing.</p><p>“I need to touch your boobs for a moment to fit your dress around them,” Nia said, staring into Lena’s eyes, hands stilling.</p><p>“Yes, whatever,” Lena replied, stretching out her arms to make it easier for Nia.</p><p>Nia slipped the silk emerald dress past Lena’s nipples, fitting both of her boobs snuggly into the material. The teenage vampire then went around Lena to work on the zipper.</p><p>
  <em>I should hire this child. </em>
</p><p>“You’re quite talented at dressing our kind,” Lena uttered, gazing down at her outfit for the night.</p><p>“Sounds like a compliment,” Nia noted with a snort. “Are you feeling unwell?”</p><p>“It is a compliment, you little cunt.”</p><p>“That’s more like you,” Nia chuckled.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Our c-a-m-p-f-i-r-e- -s-o-n-g- song,” Kara sang, waving her pointer fingers around mid-air. “And if you don’t think that we can sing it faster then you’re wrong, but it’ll help if you just sing alooong.”</p><p>“Bum, bum, buuum,” Imra cued in, bopping her head up and down.</p><p>Kara giggled at the shared memory of their youth. “We’re going to be late, aren’t we?” she realized, glancing at the pile of clothes on her bed.</p><p>“It’s likely,” Imra replied, following Kara’s line of sight. “You do know there will be teenagers there, though, right?” Imra questioned, wiggling her brows at Kara’s mismatched pink bra with a small ribbon sitting between the cups and her dark blue and light blue checkered boxer briefs.</p><p>“Are you here to help me find something to wear or to tease me?” Kara uttered, jutting out her bottom lip, batting her eyelashes at her best friend. “And don’t say both because I have absolutely nothing to wear and then Lena will be there, waiting for me, and I’ll be here, having a mid-life crisis in my undies!”</p><p>“She might be into you wearing nothing,” Imra mumbled under her breath, adding a wink.</p><p>
  <em>Great, now I’m picturing Lena naked. And now I can’t breathe.</em>
</p><p>Kara sucked in handfuls of air, waving her hands in front of her face, grimacing. In hindsight, she should have chosen what to wear days ago already, but planning wasn’t her strongest suit, and she moved mostly on impulse.</p><p>Mister Jingles meowed, scratching at the door.</p><p>“Not now, fluffy boy,” Imra called out, rapping her knuckles against the door. “Your mommy emptied the contents of her closet on her bed, so we’re a little busy in here.”</p><p>“Maybe I should let him in,” Kara said, chewing the inside of her cheek. She knew how her cat always wanted to be able to see her and follow her around.</p><p>“Nu-uh,” Imra disagreed with a shake of her head. “He’ll get hair on all of your clothes and I just got off the phone with our Uber driver before I arrived here, and she’ll pick us up in...,” she explained while she looked at the watch around her wrist, “thirty-two minutes.”</p><p>
  <em>I have to look good. I’m finally introducing Lena to my sister tonight, and vice versa. Nothing can go wrong. </em>
</p><p>Kara let out a loud groan and plopped down face-first onto her pile of clothes. </p><p>“You may not want to crinkle your suits too much,” Imra commented, tugging at Kara’s arm.</p><p>Kara turned her head to the side. “Suits?” she murmured, staring at her best friend.</p><p>“Oh yes, you’ll be looking strappin’ tonight. Lena won’t know what hit her.”</p><p>
  <em>I do like pants. </em>
</p><p>Exhaling a soft sigh, Kara rolled over onto her back and accepted Imra’s hands to get back up on her feet. Maybe, if she got lucky, the clothes she used for prom would still fit like a glove. The one Kara almost didn’t attend when her boyfriend dumped her, but her best friend was right there for her to grant her prom dance wish.</p><p>“You’re the best,” Kara uttered, wrapping her arms around Imra.</p><p>“I love you too, Kara,” Imra laughed, patting Kara’s back.</p><p>Kara wanted to hug Imra longer, but she knew they had limited time, and Alex was probably already on her way to drop off Jamie at Eve and Andrea’s place, who had kindly offered to babysit after Barney said they couldn’t because they would be attending the bonfire, too. And Kara and Imra were supposed to meet up with Alex and Kelly on the side of the road next to the woods.</p><p>“Do you reckon I should wear that?” Kara asked, backing away, pointing at her neatest outfit, which cost her parents a small fortune, at the price tag of no less than 1299 dollars.</p><p>It consisted of black trousers which clung low to Kara’s hips, a belt with a visible clasp, a white blouse just a little shy of being see-through and large enough to remain somewhat loose, and a fitted black suit jacket with a row of buttons on each cuff.</p><p>“I think you just solved your own crisis,” Imra answered, offering double thumbs up. “Try it on and when you’re ready, you can put your wallet and phone in my purse.”</p><p>“They’re both on my counter,” Kara revealed, gathering her clothes. “And if you want to buy yourself a little sum sum, there’s a twenty in there somewhere,” she added with a wink and a laugh.</p><p>“It’s cute when you’re trying to be a sugar daddy,” Imra whispered, kissing Kara on the cheek, “but Lena might buy it because you’ll sure look the part.”</p><p>“Wait,” Kara uttered, stopping in her tracks. “I should put on some lingerie in case, um, in case…just in case.”</p><p>“And this is why you’re a bottom,” Imra pointed out, doing nothing to keep Kara from blushing. Imra hummed while she opened a drawer, skimming through underwear. “Here, black lace, can’t go wrong with this one.”</p><p>Kara whisked the set out off Imra’s hands and skipped off to the bathroom. Hardly one minute alone and Imra came knocking with the belt Kara dropped in her haste.</p><p>Once she had the lingerie on, Kara checked herself out in front of her full-length mirror. She had abs, which Lena saw before, and her legs and other places were neatly shaved, for no particular reason. Her toenails were painted – also for no reason – in the same soft pink as her fingernails, courtesy of Nia; beauty stylist in the making.</p><p>“I went clubbing with Gayle,” Imra shared while she reached for the eyeliner. “I’m on board with the idea of dating her. Children aren’t a hard pass for me and I figured we only live once, right?” she said, touching up her makeup.</p><p>“That’s the spirit,” Kara agreed, smiling.</p><p>Kara unzipped her trousers and slid them up her legs, beaming when they fit as if the past eight years didn’t happen. Now that she was certain those weren’t too small, she felt more confident putting on the rest of her suit.</p><p>“I asked her a little about her kids and apparently they’re twins. They’re six, which is a bit older than I anticipated, although Gayle is around Alex’s age, so I guess it makes sense. Oh and get this, she told me their names are Anna and Elsa.”</p><p>“She named her children after the sisters in Frozen?” Kara noted. “That’s so adorable.”</p><p>
  <em>If I ever adopt another cat, I’ll be naming him Olaf because he’s my favorite. </em>
</p><p>“That’s what I thought, too, but apparently it’s only a coincidence.”</p><p>Kara gasped. “What? But…how?” she spluttered. “If they’re six then she probably watched the movie before they were born.”</p><p>“You’d think so, but she didn’t,” Imra replied, shrugging a shoulder. “I’m nervous as fuck to meet them. I don’t want to be the stepmother they’ll hate and I know I’m thinking ahead here, but Gayle told me she’s been single for some time, and they probably aren’t used to sharing her.”</p><p>“I’ve seen you with my niece and she loves you, and so will they,” Kara assured, smiling. “Plus, kids are very easy to bribe with candy.”</p><p>Imra huffed out a laugh. “That’s true. I’ll get them hopped up on sugar. I bet Gayle will love that.”</p><p>“Yeah, Alex doesn’t like me feeding Jamie cookies,” Kara admitted with a sigh. “But on the bright side, if they’re six, they probably still have their baby teeth and those have to come out eventually anyway.”</p><p>“Candy and money for the tooth fairy, on it,” Imra chuckled.</p><p>
  <em>I bought my first water gun with my savings from the tooth fairy. </em>
</p><p>Kara smiled at the good old times where she hid behind corners and splashed her big sister with water. It was fun until she brought it to school and did the same thing to her classmates, which led to a trip to the principal’s office and a phone call to her parents. It wasn’t Kara’s fault the water fountain wasn’t working that day, which meant she had to improvise by using the grape juice from the juice boxes in the cafeteria.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>There was an open clearing near the edge of the woods, close to the road. A well-picked spot for mortals not to stray too close to danger, though little did they know half of the party people, as Nia had called it, would be vampires. In the middle, a pile of wood stacked about five feet high, burned, filling the air with smoke. It wasn’t the most pleasant smell, though Lena preferred it over the smell of burnt flesh</p><p>Two tables stood to the side, filled with white plastic cups, bowls containing colored liquid and a ladle, and humans’ definition of snacks. Here and there, blankets covered the dirt, while more were under the tables. Four mortals rolled kegs toward the clearing while two others trailed behind them with plastic tubes.</p><p>
  <em>Humans and their alcohol, despicable. </em>
</p><p>Reign’s eyes flickered red, as they always did whenever she was about to feed. Behind her and Lena, eleven vampires of their coven followed. The only ones who didn’t join them were the twins, who were prohibited to, and Lucy, who wasn’t home. They were quite the dysfunctional family, ranging in set ages from the youngest – Zara and Sarah – being ten, to the oldest – Catherine – being fifty-five. In vampire years, the twins remained the youngest, but the eldest among them all was Reign.</p><p>Reign was there when Canute the Great invaded England in 1015, long before Lena was born. She learned more by listening to Reign’s tales than she did by reading books, and it was rumored Reign was one of the first immortals to walk the earth.</p><p>Reign inhaled deeply. “Ah, a walk-in buffet,” she whispered, licking her lips.</p><p>“I’m starving,” a twenty-one-year-old vampire Nia turned three decades ago who went by the name Scylla uttered, “let’s eat.”</p><p>“No,” Lena said, cutting the others a glare. “These are Kara’s friends and are therefore off-limits. Is that understood?” she bit out, although she had no confirmation whether Kara knew each human attendee or not.</p><p>
  <em>I will not shy away from using the twins as leverage. </em>
</p><p>Reign snapped her teeth. “Off limits,” she passed on to the others.</p><p>“I haven’t been this bored since Queen Elizabeth’s mother invited me to tea,” Cat sighed.</p><p>Nia groaned. “And I haven’t heard this much whining since my parents begged me not to burn their house down with them in it,” she said with a huff to Cat.</p><p>Lena shut her eyes for a moment. This was going to be a long night and from the looks of it, Kara hadn’t arrived yet.</p><p>“We should scatter around,” Nia suggested, wiggling her fingers.</p><p>“Your brain already did, dear,” Cat whispered, resulting in Nia slapping her across the face.</p><p>“Enough,” Reign interrupted, stepping in between Nia and Cat. “You,” Reign uttered, pressing her finger against Cat’s throat, “do not get to speak to my daughter in that manner or I’ll make sure you never say another word, kitty cat.”</p><p>
  <em>Petulant children, the lot of you. </em>
</p><p>Lena removed herself from the others to observe the flames up close. She watched as they licked at the wood, coloring it black until it crumbled into ashes. If she were to stick out her hand, she would feel the heat of the fire, though she would not burn. Contrary to popular belief, vampires were capable of walking through fire, for only the sun was hot enough to hurt them that way.</p><p>Three centuries ago, Lena was buried under eight feet of ice in Antarctica for six days and did not die. She wanted to test her limits, but Lucy found her and dug her out. And one time, Lena climbed the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the night, awaiting the sunrise, but she never spoke of that incident after Lucy went to sit next to her and refused to hide until Lena did.</p><p>“Damn,” Nia commented, making her presence known. “Your girl is daddy material.”</p><p>Lena’s gaze gravitated toward the center of her universe and swallowed as she took Kara in, from the twinkle in her eyes to the sound of her laughter, and the familiar scent that followed her. Lena’s throat ached, though her lips did more so at the sight of the top two buttons of Kara’s blouse being undone, revealing an ample amount of her skin and a piece of her chest.</p><p>Nia bit her lower lip. “How do you survive not tapping that?”</p><p>“Poorly,” Lena answered while her eyes lingered on Kara.</p><p>
  <em>If a vampire can die from a lack of touch, I’ll be the first. </em>
</p><p>While Lena wasn’t too fond of Nia’s chosen language, she did think about sex with Kara quite a lot recently. And Lena knew Kara wanted her in that way, hinted at it, and teased Lena with her boldness. Kara grew daring as time went on, which showed in the initiative she took, especially that time they both wound up topless. But the pent up sexual frustration wasn’t as bad as Lena’s thirst and therefore kept her afloat. However, with Kara close, Lena struggled with both while Kara remained blissfully clueless.</p><p>“Kara, hi!” Nia called out, throwing up her arms. “You’ve made it and you brought your hot friend.”</p><p>“Hi, Nia,” Kara greeted back, smiling as she hugged the teenager. “Of course I brought my adult best friend,” she coughed, patting said friend’s shoulder.</p><p>“Don’t let my looks fool you. I have plenty experience,” Nia winked.</p><p>“Hello again,” Lena uttered, yanking the rebellious teen back. “You must be Imra,” she addressed Kara’s friend.</p><p>“The one and only,” Kara’s friend confirmed. “Which makes you Lena,” Imra said with a quick glance up and down, though not fast enough.</p><p>Kara’s eyes traveled down and her lips parted when they landed on Lena’s cleavage. Her heartbeat spiked, drawing attention from several vampires attending the bonfire who turned to look their way.</p><p>Lena didn’t mind them staring as long as they didn’t lay a finger on what was hers.</p><p>“So,” Imra clapped her hands together. “I’m going to mingle and I’ll catch you later,” she told Kara, wandering off, at which point Lena noticed Nia had, too.</p><p>“You look-” Kara uttered with a gasp at the same time Lena said the same words.</p><p>Lena chuckled. “You first,” she insisted, smiling at her now blushing companion.</p><p>“I would, but I have no words,” Kara replied with a laugh, running a hand through her hair. “You look so…wow,” she whispered, eyes dipping down to Lena’s cleavage before she dragged them back up to meet Lena’s.</p><p>Lena stepped into Kara’s personal space, knowing full well the other vampires overheard everything. “I don’t mind you staring,” Lena hushed, lips brushing the shell of Kara’s ear. “Or touching,” Lena added, letting the words roll off of her tongue. “As much as you desire.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ I wanna savor, save it for later ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ The taste, the flavor, 'cause I'm a taker ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“It’s, uh, funny you’d say that,” Kara replied, voice raspy and dry. Her heartbeat sounded out of control, hammering against her ribs. “Because I was about to say the same to you,” she uttered, kissing the underside of Lena’s jaw.</p><p>Lena felt her heart stutter. In the heat of the moment, all she wanted was to weave her hands through Kara’s hair and draw her into a kiss that paid no mind to the limits of mortal lungs. But instead of fulfilling her fantasy, Lena bit down on her tongue, filling her mouth with blood.</p><p>“Does the museum know you ran away?” Kara asked with the cutest chuckle. “I know they say not to touch the artwork, but they do pin it against the wall.”</p><p>
  <em>She’s adorable when she flirts with me. </em>
</p><p>Lena thought of responding in a downright dirty way by telling Kara she would rather nail her than a piece of wood, but knowing she couldn’t have sex with her, Lena swallowed it down.</p><p>“Will I be meeting your sister soon?” Lena pondered, not that she cared, but Kara did, which meant she had to as well.</p><p>“Um, yes, she’ll be here eventually,” Kara answered, glancing around. “Imra has my phone, but I know Alex is headed this way. She’s just a little late sometimes.”</p><p>While Lena listened to Kara talk, she picked up on a conversation between Nia and a human.</p><p>“I am celebrating my seventeenth birthday next weekend,” the human said. “Winslow and I organize an annual paintball fight. You are welcome to join if you are interested. He never wins.”</p><p>“Seventeen you say,” Nia responded, offering the human one of the two plastic cups she held in her hands. “I’m seventeen, too. What a coincidence.”</p><p>“Not really. Approximately 29.3 percent of the entire population is under eighteen, meaning there are plenty of seventeen-year-olds. Tonight, I am estimating a handful of us are present in this clearing.”</p><p>Nia huffed out a laugh. “I’ve never met someone like you before,” she hummed, tapping her fingers against her cup. “I’ll go get some refills and I’ll be right back,” she said, emptying her cup onto the grass.</p><p>Lena sighed softly, brushing Kara’s cheek with the back of her hand. “Can I get you a drink?” Lena questioned, dropping her hand before she pushed herself too far.</p><p>“Punch might be nice, but half a cup is enough. I get drunk easily, so I don’t drink alcohol much.”</p><p>With a nod, Lena wandered off toward the tables. “Leave that kid alone,” she whispered to Nia.</p><p>The last thing Lena needed was Reign to turn another teenager when Nia shouldn’t have become immortal in the first place. And Lena wasn’t interested in hearing Nia flirt with every human she made eye-contact with.</p><p>Nia turned to face Lena with a sigh. “You can drop the stern parent act,” the teenage vampire huffed. “I’m not going to bite Barney. They’re likable and they won’t use my set age against me.”</p><p>Lena knew Nia had trouble connecting with adults who weren’t douchebags out to sleep with a minor, and unfortunately, there were no teenage vampires they knew of, aside from Nia. Despite that knowledge and the added feeling of pity toward the teenager, Lena wasn’t on board with Nia possibly hooking up with a mortal.</p><p>Such things knew no happy ending.</p><p>“I can bite them for you,” Reign butted in as she leaned against the table and observed the human teenager.</p><p>“No,” Lena and Nia reacted at the same time.</p><p>“No,” Nia repeated, burying her fingers in her hair. “Stay out of this, the both of you. You’re not my parents, for fucks sake,” she murmured, stomping off.</p><p>“You are not biting that child,” Lena warned Reign with a glare. “I told you, no shenanigans tonight,” Lena reminded the elder vampire.</p><p>Reign mumbled about hungry vampires and the need to drink fresh blood.</p><p>Lena grasped a cup, gritting her teeth when the plastic garbage cracked. “Yes, Kara, I poured it myself,” she whispered under her breath, reaching out to try a second one.</p><p>Five cups passed through Lena’s hands before she managed not to ruin one. She grabbed the ladle and poured the fruity liquid into the cup. It all went well until her eyes met Kara’s in the growing crowd of people. Kara undid the clasp of her belt, adjusting the thing, and that was all it took for Lena to drop the drink and crush the ladle in her fist.</p><p>When Kara glanced down at her pants to click her belt shut, Lena flung the ladle over the nearest tree. With a grunt, she moved on to another bowl for attempt number seven.</p><p>
  <em>Why must you torture me, Kara?</em>
</p><p>“Hmm, punch,” some human said, reaching gingerly for a cup. He reeked of cheap beer mixed with cologne and a bloated ego. “Do you want some, beautiful?” he asked, smiling at Lena.</p><p>“I do.”</p><p>Lena stood by as the mortal poured two cups to the rim. From the corner of her eye, she caught him slipping a pill into the one furthest away from himself while he mouthed some cheesy line she couldn’t care less about. She nodded along and pushed the cup closest toward herself with the tip of her finger until it was near the mortal.</p><p>
  <em>Roofie yourself, you piece of shit. </em>
</p><p>“Bye,” Lena uttered, grasping the clean cup between her index finger and her thumb. “Parasite,” she added too quiet for the human to hear as she walked away.</p><p>“Um…,” Kara whispered when offered the drink. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” she laughed, peering down at the liquid.</p><p>“Hey, there, brainiac,” Nia mused as she sought out the young human’s company again.</p><p>“My friends call me Brainy.”</p><p>“I guess I can’t call you that then,” Nia replied, and Lena had to roll her eyes at that one.</p><p>
  <em>Stop flirting with mortals for one night, you brat. </em>
</p><p>Lena observed through narrowed eyes. She wasn’t too fond of Nia being near that mortal, although it was better than Nia talking to middle-aged men. “Who is that, speaking to Nia?” Lena questioned, frowning when Kara chuckled.</p><p>“Oh that’s just Barney,” Kara answered with a smile. “They babysit my niece sometimes and they help take care of the kittens Eve took under her wing.”</p><p>“Do they have nothing better to do tonight?” Lena muttered.</p><p>Lena warned the others not to bite anyone at the bonfire, and that most definitely meant no deciding to turn someone into a vampire, which was not helped by Reign’s offer to expand her coven by adding the teenager.</p><p>“Aww, you’re worried about your little sister,” Kara said as if it were that simple. “Barney is a good kid though. I’ll personally vouch for them.”</p><p>Even if it was the best kid in the whole wide world, Lena still hated it and didn’t want another child to fall prey to Reign’s choice. Immortal children were unnatural, something that ought to be forbidden.</p><p>Lena’s ears picked up on vampires complaining about their growing thirst. Reign wasn’t entirely wrong about this appearing to be a buffet and if the humans were mere strangers, Lena wouldn’t have cared one bit whether they lived or died. She knew she asked a lot out of the others, to fight against their nature, and act human.</p><p>Imra walked over with a beer. “I’m glad Nia seems more interested in the kid than me,” she laughed at Kara. “Anyway, going to mingle some more,” Imra said, moving on toward vampires.</p><p>Lena wished Kara’s friend wouldn’t venture there, but the human had no idea her presence wasn’t welcome anywhere near them. As far as Lena could tell, Nia was one of the few who blended in with the mortals on purpose, while the others kept to themselves and didn’t remember to breathe and blink enough.</p><p>“Kara,” Lena uttered, willing to throw them a bone. “Is there anyone here, aside from my family, you don’t know?”</p><p>The word tasted funny on Lena’s tongue. For the majority of the time, she didn’t consider Reign and the others to be her family, not even Lucy, who was her cousin and shared blood with her. It was a reality Lena struggled to accept. There was no true warmth in their household, no hearts that wept when one of them perished.</p><p>“Um…I mean, I don’t know all of those teenagers, except Barney,” Kara answered, dragging her eyes away from Lena, scanning the crowd.</p><p>Lena wasn’t keen on children dying, although the sight of a few of them handing out drugs, encouraging such a vile addiction, put her on edge. The youth grew rotten as decades went by, every batch worse than the last, and perhaps cleansing the city of a few poisoned apples wasn’t such a poor decision.</p><p>“Why do you – Oh, God, my ex is here,” Kara voiced with a groan</p><p>Lena’s eyes traveled to follow Kara’s and landed on a familiar face.</p><p>
  <em>If it isn’t the piece of shit who wanted to drug me. </em>
</p><p>It was no wonder Kara carried baggage from her past with her if she dated that asshole. Lena hated that mortal for making her sweet Kara insecure to talk about something with passion. It took the last straw of her self-restraint not to storm his way and snap his neck like a fucking twig.</p><p>“That guy?” Reign whispered, lingering near the punch.</p><p>Lena turned her head to the side. “Yes,” she uttered at a frequency too low for humans, but loud enough to pass it on to every vampire at the bonfire.</p><p>One second Kara’s ex was there, with a cup in his hands, and the next he was gone while his drink seeped into the sand where his shoes used to be. Hushed whispers from the others affirmed no humans witnessed what happened.</p><p>“Lovely night, isn’t it?” Lena asked Kara, bobbing her head up at the stars.</p><p>Kara inhaled and exhaled as she placed her arm around Lena’s shoulders. “I do like the stars,” Kara agreed, staring up.</p><p>Lena didn’t look up too long, for the prettiest galaxy was hidden in Kara’s eyes.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara hummed a song in her head, feeling ten times better now that her ex was nowhere left to be seen. She figured he decided he had better things to do or saw her with Lena and got jealous. Kara didn’t have much time to give attention to her thoughts when her sister finally bothered to show up.</p><p>“One minute,” Kara mumbled, peeling herself away from Lena’s side.</p><p>Kara walked up to Alex and Kelly, who had the audacity of being an hour late. With crossed arms, she stopped short of the pair and jutted out her bottom lip. After the meet-up at the movies fell through – which wasn’t bad in retrospect because it wasn’t the greatest place to have a conversation – Kara counted on Alex and Lena getting to know each other a little bit.</p><p>“Jamie got excited when she saw the kittens,” Alex began with a chuckle. “You should have seen her face.”</p><p>“Both of us are sorry for being late,” Kelly said with a kind smile.</p><p>Alex nodded. “Dropping our daughter off at Eve and Andrea’s house took a little longer than planned.”</p><p>
  <em>Oomph my heart. </em>
</p><p>“Okay, okay, you’re forgiven,” Kara replied, holding up her hands. “Please be nice to Lena,” she whispered, glancing at her sister, pressing her palms together.</p><p>“Are you wearing your prom suit?” Alex noted, arching a brow.</p><p>“You look dapper,” Kelly praised.</p><p>“Thanks,” Kara smiled. “You both look good, too. Now can I finally introduce you to Lena?” she said, turning around to wave Lena over.</p><p>Alex placed her hands on her hips. “So you’re the one who’s dating my little sister,” she addressed Lena, narrowing her eyes.  </p><p>“Alex,” Kara groaned, shaking her head.</p><p>“What? I’m just saying hi to your girlfriend.”</p><p>
  <em>We haven’t confirmed that yet! Don’t scare her away. </em>
</p><p>Kara wanted to be Lena’s girlfriend, she really did, but at the same time, she didn’t want Lena to feel pressured to slap a label onto what they were. It was unfair Alex had to go and open her big mouth like that, making it sound as if Kara referred to Lena as her girlfriend before, while Kara was completely and utterly innocent, and had done no such thing.</p><p>“The one and only,” Lena uttered with a smile. “Lena,” she sufficed with a nod. “Pleasure to meet you, Alex. Your sister has mentioned you quite a bit.”</p><p>“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Alex replied, glancing toward Kara, “so I’m guessing she told you what I’ll do to you if you hurt her.”</p><p>“You can work on your shovel talk later, babe,” Kelly cut in. “Hello, Lena. I’m Kelly, Alex’s girlfriend,” she said, extending a hand.</p><p>“I spilled some of my drink on my hands,” Lena shared with a chuckle. “It is lovely to meet you. Mentally, I am shaking your hand.”</p><p>Kara hadn’t noticed Lena getting her hands dirty, but perhaps she was too distracted by Lena’s mesmerizing eyes when it happened, so she let it go.</p><p>
  <em>Is she a germaphobe?</em>
</p><p>Okay, Kara hadn’t let it go. There were water bottles on the table, which meant Lena had the opportunity to rinse her hands. But Lena didn’t even look at them, which made Kara think she lied about spilling her drink, and that was strange unless there was a reasonable excuse, such as Lena worrying about germs.</p><p>“Kelly and I are going to get something to drink,” Alex announced. “You have fun with your girlfriend,” she said to Kara before wandering off.</p><p>
  <em>Wait a minute, Lena didn’t correct Alex. She didn’t correct my sister assuming we’re a couple! Does this mean what I think it means? </em>
</p><p>“Um, who’s that?” Kara questioned Lena, pointing at someone who was talking to Rey.</p><p>“That’s Harley,” Lena answered, and when she did, the woman in question looked their way.</p><p>“Oh, err, maybe you can introduce me?” Kara suggested, scratching the back of her neck while Harley stared and it probably didn’t help Kara didn’t break eye-contact either.</p><p>“As you wish, darling,” Lena uttered, crooking a finger.</p><p>Kara saw Harley approach them, along with another woman, one with red hair. “Who’s that?” she whispered in Lena’s ear.</p><p>“Harley’s partner, Ivy,” Lena answered, right as the duo appeared in front of them. “Harley, Ivy, meet my girlfriend, Kara. Kara, meet Harley and Ivy, my, um, friends.”</p><p>
  <em>She called me her girlfriend. It’s official now. My soul has left my body and my heart jumped into her hands. </em>
</p><p>“Hi,” Kara greeted with a small wave of her hand.</p><p>“Hiya,” Harley responded, grinning. “Nice to meet’cha,” she said before throwing her arm around her partner. “She’s a pretty doll. Wouldn’t ya say, Red?”</p><p>Lena looped her arm around Kara’s waist. “They’re not from around here,” Lena explained, guiding Kara away from the pair.</p><p>“I’m your girlfriend,” Kara whispered, exhaling. “You’re my girlfriend.”</p><p>“Does that frighten you?”</p><p>“Frighten me?” Kara repeated with a laugh. “God no, this is a dream come true. I lo-like you. I, um, I like you, a lot. And, ah, ooh they have chips over there!”</p><p>Lena let out a delighted chuckle. “How are you real?” she hushed, caressing Kara’s cheek with the back of her index finger, leaning in close. “Te Quiero,” Lena whispered, pecking Kara’s lips.</p><p>“Hey, I know what those words mean,” Kara exclaimed, eyes shining much like a lightbulb moment. “You said you love…Oh my God, you…you love…” Her heart stuttered in her chest and no more words came out.</p><p>Kara waved her hand in front of her face, attempting to breathe and avoid fainting. The words ‘I love you’ were the only ones, alongside ‘yes’ and ‘no’ she knew how to say in multiple languages, including Spanish.</p><p>“I love you,” Kara spoke with a start while her heart soared. “Ich Liebe Dich. Ti Amo. Te Quiero. J’taime.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>I should have known switching between languages would only last so long. </em>
</p><p>Hearing Kara ramble words of love in various tongues, some of which she pronounced wrong, made Lena smile. It was no mistake telling Kara she loved her because it was true, even though what they had between them went against nature. Then again, that was what some mortals said about a woman being with another woman, and they were wrong, so maybe Lena was wrong, too.</p><p>“Who’s that?” Kara questioned, nodding her head in Cat’s direction.</p><p>“Let me guess, you want to be introduced,” Lena hummed, eyes twinkling as Kara’s cheeks reddened. “Shall I find a megaphone and let everyone know you are mine?”</p><p>Lena placed the tip of her finger under Kara’s chin and tilted her head up, meeting Kara’s lips with her own. Nine feet further, Lena heard Kelly refer to Kara and her as a cute couple, while Alex sighed and said she didn’t want Kara to get hurt again.</p><p>
  <em>I am not Kara’s ex. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s eyelashes fluttered mid-kiss. She gazed into Kara’s eyes, unsure how to ever tell her she was much worse than the demons Kara faced in her past. Mentally, Lena could promise to never harm Kara on purpose, but physically the risk of accidentally inflicting pain was much higher. One lapse in judgment and Lena was capable of breaking Kara’s bones.</p><p>As a vampire, whenever Lena had sexual relations with a human, there were times where she wasn’t gentle on purpose. Although her heart went out to Kara, which complicated everything. Lena preferred living in agony over hurting the one soul she loved beyond the restrictions of nature.</p><p>Kara pulled away, sucking in a deep breath. “I’m going to get us a blanket to sit on.”</p><p>“I’ll find us a comfortable spot,” Lena replied, eyes flitting around the others seated on a blanket.</p><p>Lena settled on a strip of grass, near a tree, as far away from everyone else as possible. Not that it helped drown out the noise, though most people tried to have quiet private conversations. She watched on as Kara unfolded a blanket and spread it out.</p><p>“Have you ever been to prom?” Kara questioned while she moved to sit.</p><p>Lena had just enough wiggle room in her dress not to rip it when she crouched down. She placed her palms onto the blanket and stretched out her legs, plopping down on her ass slightly less graceful than she aimed for. If she were human, that might have bruised more than her ego, but hearing Kara chuckle more than made up for it.</p><p>“I can’t say I have,” Lena answered, reminiscing on her life as a mortal with a heavy sigh. “My childhood was complicated and most of what I learned, I taught myself.”</p><p>Kara chewed her lip. “Do you wish you could have gone to prom?” she queried, shifting her hand closer to Lena’s.</p><p>Lena remembered to keep breathing air she didn’t need while she felt Kara’s thumb brush hers. The touch ignited a spark, spreading toward Lena’s arm, and her chest. “No, I’m not much of a dancer. Never have been.”</p><p>
  <em>I can dance, but not with you. </em>
</p><p>Lena turned her hand, palm upward, lip quivering as Kara wove her warm fingers between her cold ones. They were in a relationship now and while it didn’t appear to scare Kara, it terrified Lena. This was unknown territory, something new and yet profound. Lena never had anything hit her as hard as falling in love with a human did.</p><p>“If you could only consume one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Lena pondered, wiggling her eyebrows at her adorable little chef.</p><p>
  <em>I wish I was capable of tasting your creations. </em>
</p><p>Kara gasped. “Only one?” she repeated, lips curling down. “But, Lena…I love food, all kinds of food. There are so many baked goods and snacks and other things. I love donuts and sticky buns because they’re both really delicious, but it’s impossible to pick just one and if I choose one of those, then I can’t choose something else. Ice cream is just…,” she explained, kissing the tips of the fingers of her free hand. “But that’s not really food, I guess. I mean, to me it is, and I don’t mind eating an entire tub when I’m watching a movie or when I’m feeling blue, but I don’t think I could live on just ice cream for the rest of my life. Although when I’m old and I start to lose my teeth, I suppose ice cream is easy to swallow. If I pick pizza, can I at least opt for different toppings each time?”</p><p>Lena listened with her lips parted about an inch. Hearing Kara talk made it easy to forget they weren’t alone and Lena wished she could whisk Kara away somewhere where they could be alone, in their bubble, undisturbed.</p><p>“You have such passion inside of you,” Lena uttered, eyes mapping the outlines of Kara’s face.</p><p>“I think I’ll choose pizza,” Kara hummed. “No, wait,” she said, shaking her head. “My Nan’s pasta recipe is better. I’d say don’t tell Imra I said that, but she knows how delicious that sauce is, so I bet she’d agree. Anyway, my final answer is my Nan’s pasta. And then when I’m old, you could mix it and spoon feed it to me.”</p><p>Kara laughed, but it only lasted about a second before her eyes went round. “Not…not that I’m saying…Oh, God. Okay, since we’re together, you should probably know I blurt out a lot of things and I don’t always think before I talk, which you’ve likely noticed by now because I know I’m not exactly subtle,” she explained, spitting out the words so fast it was surprising she didn’t trip over her own tongue. “So, um, when I, ah, say you can feed me when I’m old, I, ah, mean that in a totally hypothetically speaking way.”</p><p>“Kara,” Lena whispered, biting back a smile. “I am going to kiss you now and it isn’t to shut you up. I want to kiss you because I can’t resist you.”</p><p>Lena met Kara’s smiling lips, lifting a hand to Kara’s neck, resting it there as they kissed. Lena could do this forever and a day, without growing tired or bored.</p><p>“You needn’t grow old for me to take care of you,” Lena uttered, running her fingers through Kara’s locks.</p><p>
  <em>If you desire a future with me, you needn’t grow old at all. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s hand stilled. Her thoughts moved too fast and appeared at random. She had no intention of turning Kara into a vampire. The process was pure agony, though that wasn’t what held Lena back. Such a decision meant to take life away and Kara was full of brightness, of life.</p><p>“Your Nan,” Lena voiced. “I have a feeling she is or was of great significance in your life. Will you tell me about her?”</p><p>One corner of Kara’s mouth tugged up. “Yeah,” she breathed out, eyes clouding over. “My Nan was the loveliest woman you could ever meet. Every Sunday, I went over to her place, and she spoiled me with food. Sometimes, I ran over there early to help her cook. When I was little, I would sit on her lap, and she would read to me from a book or tell me about her youth. She always smelled of cookies and cinnamon. Each year, on my birthday, she baked me this really big cake. The presents she gave me consisted of clothes she crocheted for me and it made her really happy when I put them on and took pictures to show her.”</p><p>Lena ran her fingertips up and down Kara’s back, nodding once in a while as she let Kara share as much as she wanted to. Lena soaked in every detail, branding it into her brain for all eternity as minutes and even hours ticked by.</p><p>Some of the humans left, kegs ran empty, and the ones who took drugs shoved their faces with the remaining snacks.</p><p>“Okay, I have a question for you,” Kara said, rubbing her hands together. “Where do you see yourself five years from now?”</p><p>“In a cottage in Ireland, with the woman I love,” Lena answered, sparing a glance to the other vampires, especially Reign who frowned at her.</p><p>
  <em>Reign is delusional if she thinks I would stay at her mansion forever. </em>
</p><p>In another life, Lena would have loved to live a simplistic life where she could go outside during the day and sit on the porch swing with her wife. Part of her wanted the opportunity to grow old together, to watch flowers they planted grow, and to build a greenhouse so they could live off of their own land. There would be a few goats and chickens walking around, perhaps even a cow and a dog.</p><p>
  <em>What am I doing? I’m a vampire. </em>
</p><p>“That sounds nice,” Kara hummed, smiling. “Do you see yourself getting married to someone in the future?”</p><p>
  <em>Run while you still can. Run, Kara. </em>
</p><p>The night took a sharp turn when fireworks exploded in the sky. One turned into ten, and it didn’t stop there. Vampires hissed, clawing at their ears while they hid behind and in trees. Lena winced. The noise was unbearable.</p><p>Lena thought of leaving to put distance between the mortals and their fireworks and herself. But then she felt Kara’s hands cover her ears, something kind and foreign to vampires. It didn’t do much in terms of drowning out the sound, but the gesture melted Lena’s heart.</p><p>“I got you,” Kara said, pulling Lena’s head to her chest, covering one side of her face with her suit jacket.</p><p>Lena froze. With her ear pressed up against Kara’s boobs, her head filled with the melody of Kara’s heartbeat. Now and then, Lena flinched as more explosions were unleashed in the sky.</p><p>Red, orange, green, and blue mixed with golden. Each color crisscrossed one another and when they faded, new ones were introduced. It was almost beautiful if it wasn’t such a harsh reminder of thunder and bombs. The latter was terrible and jolted Lena back to the years she spent in Berlin when mortals released the weapons they built. All vampires there, except one, made it out alive.</p><p>“Lena?” Kara prodded. “Are you okay?”</p><p>Lena blinked. The noise was gone. “Minor headache,” she answered with a grimace.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kara questioned, biting her lip. “You…you stopped breathing.”</p><p>
  <em>Blink, breathe and repeat. Blink, breathe, and repeat, damn it!</em>
</p><p>“My breath caught when you held me close,” Lena replied with a chuckle. “I am fine now. I am breathing.”</p><p>“Your eyes are glassy.”</p><p>
  <em>They are?</em>
</p><p>“Darling,” Lena sighed. She reached for Kara’s hands, but stopped herself. “How can I convince you I am okay?”</p><p>Kara held out her pinky, a human’s weakest finger. “Pinky promise me?”</p><p>“I’ll do you one better,” Lena recovered, licking her lips, winking.</p><p>Kara’s lips split into a smile. “I suppose I don’t mind us having our own way of sealing a promise,” she hummed, leaning in, closing the gap.</p><p>
  <em>Jackpot. </em>
</p><p>Lena traced Kara’s lips with her tongue, needing each distraction she could get her hands on without actually putting her hands on Kara. Their kiss deepened, increasing the ache in Lena’s throat for a taste of Kara’s blood.</p><p>Lena’s valuable time with Kara drew to a close when Kara’s family was on the cusp of leaving.</p><p>Kara sighed out a smile. “Can you believe the sun is rising in less than an hour? I’d love to watch the sunrise with you, but Alex and Kelly are tired, and I think Imra is too. And I suppose I kind of am as well, so you might be, too.”</p><p>Lena gazed up at the sky, which indeed was less dark, and showed signs of the imminent threat of the daytime. “I’m exhausted,” she replied, feigning a yawn. “Sleep well, my darling girl.”</p><p>“Talk soon,” Kara promised, pecking Lena’s lips. “I love you!” Kara called out over her shoulder as she ran toward her sister, who muttered to her girlfriend how Kara was a dork.</p><p>Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. Whether she yelled or whispered, the others of her kind heard her anyway. “And I you!” she shouted after Kara.</p><p>Nia burst out laughing. “Someone’s smitten,” she mused, poking out her tongue.</p><p>Lena looped her arm around Nia’s neck as they all withdrew to the mansion. “Go smooch your own human,” Lena quipped at the teenager.</p><p>“Kid’s got a crush,” Harley grinned. “Ya like that Brainy kid, don’t cha?” she commented, elbowing Nia’s ribs.</p><p>“Shut up, I’m not a human lover,” Nia grumbled.</p><p>Lena let go of Nia, leaving her to bicker with Harley while her memories replayed every date she had with Kara, from the first to the one they shared tonight. With a glint in her eyes, Lena hoped for more of those, as long as none of them included food. It was funny how fate led her to the one human who had a bottomless pit of a stomach, to the one who gave blood while Lena was the kind to take it.</p><p>There were obstacles bound to litter Lena’s path, she was sure. She already stumbled over some and made her way past them with some difficulty. Tonight, she fucked up by forgetting to breathe, an important detail she ought to remember at all times.</p><p>“I am home,” Reign announced with open arms. “Where are my precious angels?” she questioned with a smile.</p><p>
  <em>They are nowhere near precious. </em>
</p><p>“Angels?” Reign repeated when the twins didn’t appear.</p><p>Lena frowned. It was unlike those little demons to keep Reign waiting. Lena peered up at the stairs, noting how unusually silent it was.</p><p>“Sarah?” Reign uttered, grasping the handrail of the staircase. “Zara? Where are you?”</p><p>Reign snapped her fingers. “Search,” she whispered to the others.</p><p>Lena zipped up the stairs, combing through the rooms, to no avail. There was no sign of the twins anywhere in or around the mansion.</p><p>“No,” Reign said, lip quivering as she fell to her knees at the bottom of the steps. “They can’t die. They’re supposed to be immortal. This can’t be happening. I can’t go through this again.”</p><p>
  <em>What is she talking about?</em>
</p><p>“Reign?” Lena voiced, placing her hand on Reign’s shoulder.</p><p>“That wasn’t always my name,” Reign replied, pushing herself upright. “Have you ever wondered why there are no men among our kind?”</p><p>“I can’t say I have,” Lena answered, although it hadn’t gone unnoticed either.</p><p>Reign’s lips curled upward. “We hunted them all down.”</p><p>Lena’s brow ticked up. “We?”</p><p>“Lucy and I.”</p><p>Lena blinked. Lucy as a vampire killer or any killer at all was an odd thought to entertain, though Lucy proved she wasn’t always innocent and docile.</p><p>“There used to be a vampire coven with nothing but men,” Reign sighed, nails digging into the arms of her chair as she settled in it. “They stole something from me, something irreplaceable. So Lucy and I hunted them down and one by one killed them all. And then we searched the world to find more male vampires. You may think we have no laws, but I do have one,” she said, holding up her index finger.</p><p>
  <em>I can’t say I have a problem with that. </em>
</p><p>“What was taken from you?” Lena pondered aloud, watching as Reign tore the chair to pieces.</p><p>“These human festivities have ruined everything,” Reign spat through gritted teeth. “Their firework has scared off my children. My precious angels.”</p><p>Lena wondered whether it was the noise or the fact it resembled thunder that caused Sarah and Zara to run away. Both were a reasonable excuse, though during a storm they knew it was safer indoors than outdoors. Perhaps they couldn’t handle being apart from Reign or gave up on the ties to their maker. If Sarah and Zara were on the loose, Lena hoped for everyone’s sake, both mortals and immortals alike, they would burn.</p><p>The sun was about to rise any minute, reducing the odds of Sarah and Zara’s survival when someone walked in with the twins, and they didn’t come alone.</p><p>Reign straightened her back. “Whom might you be?” she demanded, eyes narrowed at the stranger.</p><p>Lena tilted her head while the others gathered behind them, forming a small army if need be. The uninvited guest was a vampire, which Lena derived from the lack of a heartbeat.</p><p>The most unexpected arrival, however, was the one of the children accompanying the adult vampire. Lena thought Sarah and Zara were the only two young immortals in the world, who hadn’t reached their teenage years and never would, but she was wrong.</p><p>And now there were four.</p><p>And Zara and Sarah were no longer the youngest vampires to walk the earth.</p><p>Identical blonde-haired girls stood a head shorter than Sarah and Zara. Lena glanced at Reign, imagining her wanting those children to expand her family, an idea Lena loathed. </p><p>“I am Gayle, otherwise known as Psi,” the vampire answered, crouching down between the little girls, who up close looked much like her. “These are my biological children, Anna and Elsa.”</p><p>“Vampires cannot give birth,” Reign replied, beckoning Zara and Sarah toward her.</p><p>“I was human when I had them, but enough with the chit chat. I returned your little beasts and in exchange, I seek shelter for the day for my children and me.”</p><p>“Fair price to pay,” Lena reasoned, grabbing Reign’s wrist before she could tear through the newcomer for referring to her children as beasts.</p><p>“The nerve,” Reign bristled, slapping Lena’s hand away. “Sarah and Zara are angels,” Reign declared, so far off the truth.</p><p>“Can they stay, mother?” Zara asked, batting her eyelashes at Reign.</p><p>“Oh, please say yes,” Sarah chimed in. “We never had friends before.”</p><p>“Join my coven, sister,” Reign offered, spreading out her arms, showing off how many vampires she had under her roof. It was a surprising and almost warm welcome. “Or perish in the sun.”</p><p>“Is this how you always welcome newcomers?”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'd love to hear what you think and which parts you liked in particular.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara set up her camera on her coffee table, although technically it was Imra’s, and she was merely borrowing it for her next Insta live. Once she positioned it right, she changed her blouse for one of the shirts they sold at her work. She had an extra small one as well for her cat and while it was too big for him, Mister Jingles didn’t try to wriggle out of it after she got his head and his front paws through the openings.</p><p>“Almost ready, buddy,” Kara said, petting Mister Jingles’ head. “Just a little bit longer and then we’re good to go.”</p><p>Kara filled a bowl with chips, in case she got hungry during streaming. She ate two sandwiches during lunch, which wasn’t that much to go on. Lately, her life was extra busy, so she had little to no time to gather groceries, and she promised to go on Instagram this afternoon.</p><p>She put her snacks on the table and as she plopped down on the couch, Kara fished her phone out of her pocket. The first thing she did before bothering with her notifications was text Lena she loved her. It felt freeing to say that without worrying it was too soon because Lena said it first, at the bonfire, two days ago.</p><p>Kara hadn’t seen Lena since, which was a bummer, but some alone time wasn’t that bad. It gave Kara the chance to catch up on She-Ra. She hoped her girlfriend was okay, though. The day after the bonfire, Lena messaged there was a problem she needed to take care of, and therefore couldn’t come over at night.</p><p>
  <em>I want to surprise her someday. </em>
</p><p>Kara chewed the inside of her cheek. Her fingers tapped away when she thought of the person she could turn to for advice.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Kara [2:05 pm]: </strong>what do you think Lena likes?</p><p><strong>Kara [2:05 pm]: </strong>date wise</p><p><strong>Kara [2:06 pm]: </strong>&amp; dont tell her</p><p><strong>Nia [2:11 pm]:</strong> she’d like the museum at night, after closing time. the guy who guards the place will let you in if you pay him</p><p><strong>Kara [2:12 pm]: </strong>thanks, ur the best oxox</p><p><strong>Nia [2:14 pm]: </strong>nah, u</p><p> </p><p>Kara chuckled when Nia attached a meme of Patrick throwing something. She sent one back of SpongeBob giving finger guns and added ‘aww, but still u.’</p><p>Kara put her phone on silent, connected it to the camera, and lifted Mister Jingles onto her lap. “Time to show people your cute little face again,” she cooed, kissing the top of his head. “Here we go.”</p><p>Mister Jingles licked Kara’s cheek just as she switched on the camera and went live.</p><p>
  <em>I bet someone screenshot me wrinkling my nose. Thanks, Mister Jingles. </em>
</p><p>“Hello, people,” Kara started, waving with one hand. “Mister Jingles and I have looked forward to going live. We know it’s been a while. Time sure flies.”</p><p>Mister Jingles stared at the screen when hearts began pouring in. He pawed at the camera until Kara stopped him, although that didn’t keep him from trying.</p><p>“As you can see, Mister Jingles and I are wearing matching shirts today,” Kara pointed out, gesturing at the print on hers, which was more readable than her pet’s shirt. “That’s because we want to shed a light on the importance of adopting. Therefore, adopt, don’t shop. I’ll have a link up for these shirts soon and all profit of our sales will go to our local shelter, which is in urgent need of expansion.”</p><p>Kara’s heart went out to all of the cats and dogs in need of shelter, while the one she worked at experienced an overflow they couldn’t keep up with. And if they didn’t find more people willing to adopt soon or a way to increase their capacity, then they would be forced to transfer animals to other shelters, where they risked being put to sleep.</p><p>“Buying a shirt can help us give an animal in need the opportunity to find a home,” Kara continued, but in the meantime, her eyes drifted toward the comments.</p><p>There were people asking Kara to say hello and mention their name, others asked to see Mister Jingles up close or questioned if he struggled with his balance much, and a disturbing amount said they shipped Kara with Leslie, Pepper’s owner.</p><p>
  <em>People, please, I am trying to share an important message. </em>
</p><p>Kara blinked, noticing she had stopped talking. “I, uh, sorry, my mouth is a little dry,” she laughed, clearing her throat. “As I said, purchasing from this charity will aid animals. The shelter I work at has reached its full capacity, while strays wander the street every day. Buying one shirt makes a bigger impact than you think and can help cover vet expenses,” she explained while all sorts of comments kept popping up.</p><p>But the people questioning whether Kara was dating Leslie or planning on asking her out, drowned out the others. They kept going at it despite a few here and there telling them to stop in all caps and listen to what Kara had to say instead.</p><p>
  <em>Why won’t they stop?</em>
</p><p>Kara shifted on her couch. “The animals…,” she uttered. Her palms felt clammy and she had to force down a shudder. “They need our help and they can’t talk to tell us they do, so we need to speak up for them. The apparel doesn’t come in pet sizes, although as you can see, Mister Jingles doesn’t mind.”</p><p>Kara rounded up the live stream as fast as she could with the excuse she forgot to buy Mister Jingles kibbles.</p><p>With the camera off, Kara buried her fingers in her hair. “What’s wrong with people?” she whispered, staring at her cat, who licked his tail. “Why are they so obsessed with my private life? I…I’m…I’m just me. I’m just a person, like them, but you don’t see me asking about their love life, so what business do they have in mine?”</p><p>Kara grabbed her phone and went into her contacts, leg bouncing as it rang. “Hey, I hope I haven’t disturbed you, but I was hoping we could meet up to grab some pizza together? I kind of need to talk to you,” she said, biting her lip hard enough to taste blood on her tongue. “Does, um, say twenty minutes from now work?”</p><p>“Yeah, I’ll be there,” Leslie replied, voice raspy and sleepy. “Text me the address, see you there.”</p><p>Leslie hung up before Kara could apologize for bothering her. It was close to three in the afternoon, but some people slept during the day or took a nap, and Kara should have accounted for that. The one person she needed most right now was Lena, but Kara didn’t want to disturb her when she knew Lena was dealing with something.</p><p>Eighteen minutes after the call, Kara stood outside the pizzeria, rocking back and forth on her heels. It wasn’t the first time there were people during her live stream who were focused on other things than the topics she talked about, but they usually weren’t so loud and nowhere near as invasive.</p><p>“I’m here and I’m hungry,” Leslie laughed as she arrived. “Hey, Kara.”</p><p>“Hey,” Kara greeted back and smiled at the sight of Pepper. “You took him with you.”</p><p>“I figured you missed him,” Leslie replied, grinning while Pepper put his front paws on Kara’s knees.</p><p>Kara crouched down, giving Pepper all of her love. She did miss him, but most of all she was happy he had a good home.</p><p>“No,” Maggie said the second Kara and Leslie entered, pointing at the sign at the door with a sigh. “No pets allowed,” Maggie reminded them.</p><p>“But…,” Kara uttered, lips curling down. She batted her eyelashes at Maggie and added “please.”</p><p>“You’re lucky my parents aren’t around, little Danvers.”</p><p>With a big smile, Kara picked out a table with Leslie and ordered an extra-large pizza with two large Pepsis. For a moment, having Pepper near made Kara forget about the reason she came to the pizzeria.</p><p>Leslie licked her lips. “I love me some Hawaiian pizza without pineapple,” she hummed, grabbing a slice.</p><p>“Me too!” Kara beamed. “Finally someone with taste.”</p><p>“I don’t mind pineapple, I just don’t want it on my pizza,” Leslie shrugged. “So, penny for your thoughts?”</p><p>“It’s about Instagram, the last live I did,” Kara answered, chewing her lip. She helped herself to a slice of pizza, even though her appetite subsided. “It’s going to sound silly.”</p><p>Leslie took a sip from her Pepsi. “Try me.”</p><p>“Okay, so, um…people were commenting,” Kara began, plucking at her food. “They asked if we, you and I, kissed yet as if that’s something we plan on doing because I know you know I’m seeing someone, and I know you told me you’re into someone you’re seeing. Reading that kind of comment just…it really frustrates me.”</p><p>
  <em>Being pansexual doesn’t mean I want to kiss every person I meet or get along with. </em>
</p><p>Kara let out a deep sigh. “Sometimes I want to scream at them to listen, the way a few people do with their comments because they actually care about what I have to say,” she confessed, taking a gulp from her drink, wishing for something a little stronger. “But I have to keep a straight face and pretend those uncomfortable comments aren’t there, even when they keep flooding in. Mister Jingles is cute and creating an Instagram account for him gave me the platform to encourage people to adopt because it’s worth it, but I’m not sure if investing my time into those live streams is. I’m tired of talking into the void of people thinking they’re entitled to meddle in my romantic life, or in yours.”</p><p>
  <em>Maybe I should quit. </em>
</p><p>“Of course it’s worth it, Kara,” Leslie responded. “You inspire thousands of people all around the globe to house a pet in need. You jumped into this initiative with your heart and it shows. And look, some rotten apples don’t spoil the whole batch, you know? There are plenty of people who want to hear what you have to say. Heck, I’m one of ‘em.”</p><p>“However,” Leslie added, holding up a finger. “If it’s taking too much of a toll on you to deal with people’s shit, it’s one hundred percent okay to take a break.”</p><p>Kara nodded. “Thank you, Leslie,” she whispered, managing a smile.</p><p>
  <em>I do need a break. </em>
</p><p>“Sure thing, kid,” Leslie said, reaching across the table to pat Kara’s shoulder.</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows creased together. “Aren’t we almost the same age?” she questioned, pretty sure Leslie only had two years on her.</p><p>“Eh,” Leslie shrugged. “I call anyone who’s younger than me kid. Habits die hard I guess.”</p><p>
  <em>Fair enough. </em>
</p><p>Kara wrung her hands together under the table. “Were you sleeping when I called you?” she asked, although she had a strong feeling she knew the answer already.</p><p>“Kinda, yeah,” Leslie chuckled, nodding her head. “I had a late night with my girlfriend and I’m pretty much a night owl, so I do most of my sleeping during the day. But I was hungry and craving pizza anyway, so it all worked out. Don’t fret.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>After a sweaty training session, Kara was in urgent need of a shower. She had to hurry because prior to her arrival at the gym, Lena had messaged her to ask if she could come over tonight, and they agreed to meet up at nine. Kara eyed her watch, which told her it was now a quarter past eight.</p><p>Kara’s top stuck to her body, all moist and icky. She followed Imra into the locker room, where she was given one to store her stuff.</p><p>“Phew, that was quite the workout,” Kara said with a satisfied chuckle.</p><p>Imra took off her gloves and winced. “Damn it,” she muttered, fingers touching a bandage that was wrapped around her right wrist, which wasn’t visible before underneath her boxing gloves.</p><p>Kara gasped and stepped closer. “What happened to your wrist?”</p><p>“It’s sprained,” Imra answered with a sigh, biting her teeth together as she moved her right hand in a circular motion. “But I can still box.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t train when you’re injured. You know better than that, dummy,” Kara replied while she tossed one of her gloves at her best friend’s head.</p><p>“It’s fine. A small injury like this won’t get me to quit,” Imra voiced, plastering a smile onto her face.</p><p>Imra opened her locker and took out a medical kit. She set it next to one of the sinks, grabbed a roll of tape, and fixed her bandage where it had loosened.</p><p>“Let me help,” Kara whispered, taking the tape from her friend. “And I won’t train with you again until your wrist is better.”</p><p>“There is no need to be overbearing, Kara.”</p><p>
  <em>I am not being overbearing. You’re just stubborn. </em>
</p><p>Kara kept her thoughts to herself. Arguments with her best friend never went anywhere useful. Once Imra made her mind up, she was as stubborn as a donkey.</p><p>“How did your wrist get sprained?” Kara questioned as soon as she finished patching Imra up.</p><p>“Let’s just say my latest sexcapade was rather wild and leave it at that.”</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “You sprained your wrist by having sex?” she uttered, blinking. “I know you’re into some of the, um, rougher things…but don’t you think this is going a bit too far?”</p><p>Imra shook her head, laughing lightly. “Are you done, mom?”</p><p>Kara didn’t find it funny at all. She worried Imra would show up with a broken bone next and eventually end up in the hospital, battered and bruised. Kara wasn’t that naïve that she didn’t know not everyone liked their intimacy soft and tender, but she also knew when her best friend was legitimately hurt and shoving it under the mat like it was no big deal.</p><p>
  <em>If this gets worse, I’m going to the police. </em>
</p><p>“I’ll let Alex know to check up on you, she has a backup in medical training,” Kara said, already texting her sister before Imra could object. “Can you promise me one thing?” Kara all but pleaded, fighting tears she would let out later.</p><p>“You shouldn’t involve Alex in this,” Imra sighed.</p><p>“Just promise me you’ll tell me if someone’s hurting you. Please, Imra.”</p><p>“It’s not like that,” Imra spoke, touching her left hand to Kara’s cheek, “I promise.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh noes, she’s here already. Quick, act chill. </em>
</p><p>“Hey, Lena,” Kara greeted, fishing her keys out of her pocket. “I must have been daydreaming about you so much I lost track of time. Is it, ah, nine already?”</p><p>“My clock must be set wrong,” Lena responded as she stood there with her hands clasped behind her back.</p><p>Kara spared a glance at her watch and noted it was nine on the dot, so technically she wasn’t home late, Lena was just crazy punctual. Kara wasn’t used to having someone who dotted the I’s the way Lena did, which wasn’t a bad thing.</p><p>“Let me just…get that,” Kara uttered, twisting her key in the lock. “And, here,” she said, tugging Lena inside with her.</p><p>Kara shut the door and pressed Lena against it, claiming her lips in what was meant to be a brief kiss. It wasn’t Kara’s fault she got carried away when Lena kissed her back. Being intimate with Lena felt intoxicating, Kara couldn’t get enough of tasting Lena’s tongue, and it made her loins ache for more.</p><p>Their kiss moved on to the couch and when Lena detached her lips and gave Kara a push that knocked the wind out of her as she stumbled onto the cushions, she blinked up at Lena.</p><p>Kara drew in a breath. “Wow,” she whispered, licking her lips.</p><p>Lena turned around, back facing Kara while her fingers curled into fists.</p><p>“Um, Lena?” Kara questioned, scrambling up from her couch.</p><p>Lena spun on her heel like a prima ballerina. “I didn’t mean to shove you that hard,” she sighed, stretching her fingers out, tips brushing Kara’s cheek like a gush of wind in autumn.</p><p>Kara shuddered at the contact and leaned into it, closing her eyes for a beat when Lena’s palm cupped her jaw. The cold touch was something Kara got used to, although it was strange Lena’s hands never warmed up, something that caught Kara’s attention during the bonfire as well.</p><p>
  <em>Does she have some type of disease she hasn’t told me about? </em>
</p><p>“Pushing me like that is one way to leave me breathless,” Kara said with a chuckle, but the rest of her apartment was uncomfortably silent, aside from Mister Jingles who snored as he slept. “If something hurts, I’ll tell you,” she promised with a smile.</p><p>Lena arched a brow. “The way you told me I hurt your thighs?” she pointed out, arms crossed.</p><p>
  <em>Right, I shouldn’t have kept those bruises hidden. </em>
</p><p>“My fall was softened by my couch,” Kara assured. “And if you’re worried, you’re welcome to kiss it better.”</p><p>Lena’s posture relaxed. “I’m not the couch kissing type,” she mused, sparing a smile. “However, I am a kissing you type.”</p><p>Kara couldn’t stop herself from chuckling. “That’s really cheesy.”</p><p>“Said the food lover,” Lena quipped, lifting Kara’s chin with her finger.</p><p>Kara leaned in and shut her eyes, only to be met by absolutely nothing. When her eyes fluttered open, she saw Lena sitting on the couch, winking at her.</p><p>
  <em>Just you wait. </em>
</p><p>“I’m going to get the popcorn,” Kara announced. “Make yourself comfortable,” she added, lifting her shirt over her head, exposing her sports bra.</p><p>Lena bit her lip while her eyes raked down Kara’s toned stomach.</p><p>Kara secretly crossed her fingers tonight might be the night they took things a bit further. She had a ton of scented candles in a drawer in her bedroom, to set the mood, and a strap-on Imra gave her on her birthday as a gag gift, which Kara kept because the dildo had pretty rainbow colors.</p><p>She wasn’t thirsting after Lena per se, except she totally was because they had been dating for a while and they were girlfriends now, and Lena was really sexy. Kara still hadn’t gotten over the time they almost had phone sex while she was in the bathroom at the movies. Lena’s voice was far too sultry for Kara not to dream about having sexual intercourse with her. Plus, Kara was only human, she couldn’t help her hormones.</p><p>“Do you have a movie preference or are you ready to be educated?” Kara asked when she returned with a bowl of popcorn, the only food she ever saw Lena touch.</p><p>“Educated, hm?” Lena replied, rapping her fingertips onto the coffee table. “Nia mentioned your appreciation of The Shining, perhaps we-”</p><p>“Okay, okay, I surrender,” Kara laughed, putting the bowl down before lifting up her hands. “I’m not a fan of scary movies because they’re scary. But if you really want to see one sometime, we can, but only if you’ll hold me and tell me when it’s safe to open my eyes.”</p><p>“Shall I check underneath your bed for monsters?”</p><p>“Oh, so you’re mocking me, I see how it is,” Kara huffed, climbing onto Lena’s lap.</p><p>Lena didn’t resist when Kara grabbed her wrists and pinned them behind her head. “Do you now?” Lena whispered, eyes following Kara’s.</p><p>“Can I take off your shirt?”</p><p>“Running a little hot?”</p><p>
  <em>Extremely. </em>
</p><p>Kara attached her lips to Lena’s neck, kissing her way up to Lena’s earlobe. “Yes,” Kara hushed, wedging a knee between Lena’s legs, smiling when Lena gasped. “I figured we could watch a movie in our underwear because it’s warm in my apartment,” Kara explained as if she didn’t turn up the thermostat on purpose.</p><p>Lena raised her arms, eyes smoldering while Kara rid her of her shirt. Kara’s fingers fumbled with the button of Lena’s pants, swallowing harsh as she slipped Lena’s pants down her legs, leaving Lena in nothing but sheer black lace.</p><p>“Wow,” Kara uttered, backing away to have a proper look at her girlfriend.</p><p>Lena’s legs were smoothly shaven, with not a single stubble in sight. Her thighs were thick and creamy, and perfect for squeezing. She had a bit of a belly, in an adorable and soft way, with gorgeous love handles. Her nipples poked through the lace, drawing attention to her boobs. She had the palest skin, paler than her pink lips. Lena sat upright with her hair cascading down her shoulders.</p><p>Kara wasn’t sure where to look first. She wanted to take all of Lena in, long enough to snap several mental pictures she could revisit later, especially in her dreams. Kara lost count of how often she imagined Lena naked and seeing her barely covered made her thoughts run wild. She wondered if Lena shaved between her legs as well or if she kept it all trimmed.</p><p>The sound of Lena clearing her throat made Kara jump.</p><p>“Right, the movie,” Kara spluttered, grasping a blanket, offering it to Lena to salvage whatever was left of her sanity.</p><p>Teasing Lena seemed impossible when Kara merely succeeded in torturing herself. She wanted Lena and it was painfully obvious. Sticking to her words, Kara rid herself of her pants, which was a mistake because the moment she did, it revealed the wet spot on her crotch.</p><p>
  <em>Pop in a movie. Maybe she won’t no – no she’s already looking. </em>
</p><p>“Right, the education,” Lena poked with a cheeky smile and at that moment, Kara wanted to shut her up with a kiss.</p><p>But Kara didn’t because then she would get herself going and she couldn’t handle much more of Lena’s teasing. Kara knew she wasn’t great at taking the lead, but it was ridiculous how she kept putting herself in embarrassing situations.</p><p>Kara grabbed the first DVD her eyes landed on, started it up, and settled on the couch next to Lena with the remote in her hand. With her other hand, she covered herself with half of the blanket, sighing at how cozy and warm she felt.</p><p>“Are you comfy?” Kara questioned, keeping her hands on top of the blanket to make it easier to eat popcorn.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena answered, placing her hand on Kara’s thigh. “Are you?” Lena asked in turn, gazing into Kara’s eyes.</p><p>
  <em>You make me want to sin. </em>
</p><p>Upon hearing Lena chuckle, Kara wondered if she said that out loud. She struggled to keep her heartbeat under control with Lena that close to her when she was already wet. Kara wasn’t sure how to build up to the next step or how to bring up the topic to find out how Lena felt. While she managed to make the first move to kiss Lena when she could no longer stand not to and asked for consent, Kara didn’t feel confident enough to do the same when it came down to sex.</p><p>“You look a little flushed, darling,” Lena commented, moving her hand from Kara’s thigh to her knee.</p><p>
  <em>No, no, no, I don’t want you to back off. </em>
</p><p>Lena trailed a single fingertip up Kara’s legs, igniting sparks beneath Kara’s skin, causing goosebumps to erupt as Lena’s finger stopped short of Kara’s underwear. She held her breath, fighting a groan when Lena’s finger fluttered back to her knee, and back up her thigh, in a continuous motion of slow torture.</p><p>Kara pondered if Lena knew how hard she made things for her and glancing into those familiar greens left her puzzled as to how Lena didn’t snap and take her, the way Lena licked her neck that night before they kissed for the first time.</p><p>Lena bit her lower lip and slowly released it from between her teeth while her eyes lowered down Kara’s body, all the way down to the blanket as if she was trying to see through it somehow. And with the intensity burning in her gaze, Kara felt that maybe she could.</p><p>“D-do you, ah, want to…,” Kara uttered, wetting her lips with her tongue. “Do you want t-to, err, watch the movie?”</p><p>Lena let out an audible sigh. “Yes,” she answered, smiling thinly.</p><p>With a nod, Kara started the movie and for a solid two minutes, she forgot which one it was because she was too aware of Lena’s hand on her thigh and the way Lena’s thumb caressed her inner thigh. It wasn’t as light as the way Lena cupped her cheeks, but gentle all the same.</p><p>“I’m failing to understand how this is meant to educate me,” Lena said in the first ten minutes of the movie.</p><p>Kara blinked at her television. “It’s Disney,” she replied, moving her hands around. “It’s a part of our culture. Twenty years ago, I spent my weekends watching Disney movies because something about it just feels so magical, which is why it remains one of my favorites. I also played with dolls and cars and such, but Disney was pretty much my whole world,” she recalled with a fond smile.</p><p>“What about you?” Kara asked in wonder.</p><p>Lena turned her head to the side. “Must I wait for this education to end to kiss you?” she questioned, cupping Kara’s jaw while her other hand stayed on Kara’s leg.</p><p>Kara never reached for her remote that fast in her life. In her haste, she dropped the thing on the floor, where its batteries fell out. She moved to scramble up from the couch and puzzle it back together to press hold when she felt Lena’s arms slide around her waist, and next thing she knew, she was on Lena’s lap.</p><p>
  <em>Fuck, she’s strong. </em>
</p><p>Lena kissed Kara’s neck, right underneath her earlobe. She tipped her head back, arching into the feeling of Lena’s lips on her skin. Lena’s hands went up to palm Kara’s breasts and she gave her nipples a pinch that had Kara cry out in what was mostly pleasure.</p><p>“A little bit softer next time,” Kara guided, cheeks heating up.</p><p>“Sof-softer,” Lena repeated with a hitch in her voice Kara almost didn’t pick up on. “Noted,” Lena said, lowering her hands to Kara’s stomach.</p><p>Kara turned around and the sudden lack of Lena’s hands on her almost had her stumble enough to greet the coffee table, but she caught herself by grabbing the back of her couch. In the background, the movie played on, forgotten.</p><p>Kara trapped Lena’s legs between her knees and held on with one hand while she moved the other down Lena’s shoulder. “Like this,” Kara whispered, brushing her lips against Lena’s, just a touch as she tweaked Lena’s nipple with the kind of pressure she preferred.</p><p>Lena’s pupils dilated at the same time her lips parted. “Are you attached to your bra?”</p><p>“Um, not really,” Kara answered, glancing down at the simple thing she used mostly to sport.</p><p>Kara meant to ask why Lena was curious about her bra, but her words were nowhere near as fast as Lena’s fingers. Lena grinned while she held up Kara’s torn bra.</p><p>“You won’t need this anymore,” Lena uttered, tossing it aside.  </p><p>
  <em>Oh God, that’s hot. </em>
</p><p>Kara’s resolve collapsed as her desire for intimacy grew too big to keep it at bay any longer. Her hands moved out of their own accord, fingers threading through Lena’s hair, nails scraping at her scalp. Kara kissed Lena’s chest and the top of her boobs, teeth nipping at the straps of her lace bra.</p><p>A shudder ran down Kara’s spine when Lena curled her tongue around her left nipple. The sensation sent a flood of warmth to Kara’s core, ruining her underwear further to the point of uncomfortable wetness. From the way Lena’s hands gripped the cushions, Kara felt she wanted more too.</p><p>Kara was ready to expose herself completely, to be vulnerable with Lena in that way, and deepen their connection through intimacy. She was ready to spoil Lena with kisses after and hold her as they fell asleep together, and surprise her with breakfast in bed after. Kara was ready for the way she would no doubt glow afterward.</p><p>“Lena,” Kara moaned, pulling away enough to admire her girlfriend.  </p><p>Lena panted, chest heaving with every breath she took as if each one cost more effort than the last. Not only did she run her tongue across her lips, but she also licked her teeth, while an inexplicable hunger burned in her eyes.</p><p>“Quiero saborearte (I want to taste you),” Lena whispered, gaze darkening. “Quiero devorarte (I want to devour you).”</p><p>
  <em>I wish I understood what you were saying. </em>
</p><p>Kara’s breaths came out uneven. She never wanted someone as much as she wanted Lena and the way Lena switched tongues whenever she pleased drove her mad.</p><p>Lena’s fingertips touched Kara’s throat, hand reaching out further until Lena’s entire palm rested there. “Deberías correr (you should run),” Lena breathed against Kara’s lips.</p><p>“Do you want to, ah..,” Kara tried, pulse spiking to new heights while she gathered her courage. “Take this elsewhere?” she suggested, looking over her couch, in the direction of her bedroom, which was far more comfortable.</p><p>Kara was so wet she didn’t need much more to tip over the edge. Lena wound her up to the point where Kara felt she would beg Lena to let her come and plead for a taste of Lena in any way Lena would allow her. She survived months without sex, but near Lena, it felt impossible not to be touched, to be wanted in that way, and to be needed.</p><p>“I lost track of time, I fear I have to go,” Lena uttered. She pecked Kara on the lips and practically jogged toward the door with her clothes in her hands.  </p><p>Kara opened and closed her mouth “Wha-” she whispered, sighing as the door closed behind Lena.</p><p>
  <em>I can’t believe she got me all hot and bothered just to run out on me. </em>
</p><p>Kara groaned so loud, she thought she heard the floorboard creak out in the hall for a moment as if her frustration was audible enough to convince Lena to come back, but that turned out to be all in her head because when Kara swung her door open, nobody was there.</p><p>Just then, the movie ended and Porky announced, “T-T-T-That’s all, folks!”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don't care what anyone says, I personally love Leslie, my favorite underdog.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Luce…Are you ever going to tell Lena who you really are?”</p><p>Lucy peered at the liquid in her cup. “She need not know I am not her cousin,” she decided, taking a sip from the fresh blood. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting the taste linger on her tongue. “I trust this will remain between us, yes?”</p><p>Lucy was rather selective on whom to trust and it would sadden her deeply if the one she loved chose to betray her. After centuries of keeping the secret, she had no desire to set the truth free. The damage it could cause was too high of a price to pay when Lena was already reluctant to let her in.</p><p>
  <em>Titles are for naught. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah, ‘course,” Leslie nodded. She sighed and pulled her chair back, fork digging into her lemon pie. “So, eh, just wondering here, but does Reign know?”</p><p>“Yes,” Lucy answered, downing the remains of her cup. “Reign was there when…” She shook herself and set the empty cup aside.</p><p>
  <em>Thy interest in this is a lost cause, Lesleanna. </em>
</p><p>Lucy felt such events mattered not when nothing was bound to change the outcome of the decisions she made. She and she alone was responsible for those, and she solidified them centuries ago, for Magdalena’s sake. It was what needed to be done to avoid digging up the past.</p><p>“Reign,” Lucy whispered, eyes dimming. “I know what caused her heart to darken so,” she shared with a sigh, wishing that particular event never took place.</p><p>“I take it that’s a secret, too?”</p><p>“Her secret,” Lucy confirmed. It was one she would take to her permanent grave, as Reign would do with Lucy’s secret. “I must leave. Thou art certain Lena is with Kara, yes?”</p><p>“Yeah, I texted Kara earlier, Lena was headed to her place,” Leslie replied, unlocking her phone, holding it out for Lucy to see. “Probably won’t be home for a couple of hours,” Leslie guessed. “But before you go,” she uttered, clasping Lucy’s wrist.</p><p>Lucy’s lips split into a smile. “Yes, love,” she whispered, closing the space between them.</p><p>Lucy flattened her palm atop Leslie’s chest, feeling her heartbeat while she listened to it as their lips met. She found her home in this unusual human, the one who loved her despite their difference in nature, though Lucy wished she was mortal.</p><p>Humans weren’t afraid to feel, to show emotions. They encouraged tears whereas vampires considered those an illness, an oddity. Lucy spent decades hiding whenever the urge to cry surfaced. Pulse or not, on the inside she bled the same way mortals did.</p><p>With one last parting kiss, Lucy hurried home. In her speed, leaves twirled behind her while a couple of trees came loose and flattened to her sides. The sand formed a cloud of dust while woodland creatures fled.</p><p>Lucy leaped to catch a tree that was about to land on a squirrel. “Art thou quite all right?” she whispered, stretching out her hand, palm upward.</p><p>She smiled as the small animal climbed onto her. Lucy jumped up to a nearby treetop where she released the squirrel before making her way down and toward the mansion. Upon entering, she saw Reign.</p><p>“The children are out hunting with the others,” Reign said, sliding a cup across the table.</p><p>Lucy caught it just as it went over the edge. “We are alone then,” she noted, raising the blood to her lips.</p><p>“It appears as such,” Reign whispered, emptying her drink in one go, crushing the metal between her fingers. “Dwelling is not your style, dear. What news have you?”</p><p>“My eyes in Iceland confirmed sightings of a coven led by a man under the name of Maxwell. His behavior has proven problematic.”</p><p>“I’ll send word to have them all killed,” Reign decided. “Harley and Ivy will travel to Iceland and take care of the issue. They’ve been itching for a fight and so, it shall be done.”</p><p>“One last detail to discuss,” Lucy announced, setting her cup down. “I am involved with Lesleanna and I seek thy blessing.”</p><p>“As a courtesy, I presume,” Reign noted with hooded eyes.</p><p>“Indubitably,” Lucy confirmed, smiling at her old friend.</p><p>“Or you’ll give me the kiss of death the way you gave it to my daughter?”</p><p>“She roams the earth still,” Lucy pointed out, tilting her chin up. “Any threat posed toward Magdalena warrants immediate intervention. You know this, my dear old friend,” she reminded, walking around the table, kissing Reign on the cheek.</p><p>Reign chuckled dryly. “We may have been lovers many moons ago, but you know better than to touch my children.”</p><p>Lucy had to disagree with the former. Reign was never considered her lover because her longtime vampire friend was too bitter to express anything past hate. Everything between them was rough and raw, and Reign’s wounds never healed.</p><p>Lucy smiled up at Reign through wet lashes. “I would burn the world down for Magdalena,” Lucy spoke, ghosting her fingers down Reign’s jaw, using her nails to draw blood.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena wandered around in the woods for as long as her nature let her. Running out on Kara caused her body to tremble. She came close to losing control of her thirst, a terrible truth she had to live with. Being around Kara remained a challenge and the more she thought of having sex with her, the more Lena’s throat burned, aching for a taste.</p><p>When Lena met Leslie and the blood source she had before her, and so on, she learned to fight her thirst enough not to be tempted to attack. Even when Leslie got shards of glass stuck in her hand, Lena had a strong enough grip on herself to bring her to the hospital. But the scent of Kara’s blood was unlike anything Lena ever tasted and tonight, fear pulled her away from Kara.</p><p>Kara was an innocent mortal, unaware of the danger she called her girlfriend. Lena was a predator, first and foremost, and she had to keep Kara safe. Her phone vibrated in the pocket of her balled up pants over and over, which she dropped at her feet. Lena couldn’t dress if she tried, not in this kind of state. She knew in her gut it was Kara messaging her and calling her, but Lena was in no place to explain or even simply hold her phone.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Lena whispered. Her lip quivered as she slid down against a tree. “I love you, always and forever,” she uttered, feeling drops running down her cheeks.</p><p>They felt like rain, but when Lena looked up, the sky was clear. A little too much so as the darkness faded away. She wiped her face with her hands, staring at her palms now covered in her tears.</p><p>
  <em>What have you done to make my eyes leak so?</em>
</p><p>Lena shut her eyes, head filled with images of Kara kissing her. If Kara were a vampire or if Lena were human, it would be easy to give her all to Kara, like she deserved. Something inside of Lena ached because she couldn’t, reminding her of the time someone jabbed a spear through her shoulder. Only this time, the pain was located beneath her ribcage.</p><p><em>A little bit softer next time</em>, Kara’s voice echoed in Lena’s mind.</p><p>Lena’s eyes shot open. The sky had turned into a deep kind of blue, showing more clouds than stars. She knew she had to run home before the sun rose, so she did. She grasped her balled up clothes, grimacing when she heard an audible crack.</p><p>Back at the mansion, everyone present appeared to be in their chambers, except for Nia and Gayle, who stood next to the dining table in the living room, with a human Gayle had introduced to everyone as Lyra. According to Gayle, Lyra was a mortal who was loyal to her and stayed near her in case Gayle needed to feed. However, instead of biting the human, Gayle used a knife to take small amounts of blood. Lena wasn’t accustomed to vampires keeping a mortal around as if they were a pet, though not all immortals were alike.</p><p>“What the fuck happened to you?” was the first thing that came out of Nia’s mouth as she looked Lena up and down.</p><p>“Pity you’re seeing someone,” Gayle commented, licking her upper lip.</p><p>
  <em>If I wasn’t, I still wouldn’t fuck you. </em>
</p><p>Lena couldn’t care less she was clad in nothing but her lace underwear. “What are you doing?” she questioned, eyes flitting between the teenage vampire and the newcomer.</p><p>Nia stood in front of the human, holding her hands while Gayle watched. Next to them on the table was a row of glasses, a pile of clothes, three cartons of eggs, and other trinkets. The mortal sucked her teeth, heart rate going up as Nia adjusted her grip. Aside from the smell of toast the human must have consumed to fill her stomach, there was a scent of pine tree mixed with lemon which clung in the air.</p><p>Lyra’s odor was nowhere near as good as Kara’s, though it wasn’t unpleasant either. Lena was due for a drink, but she wasn’t going to attack Gayle’s familiar for it, respecting the set boundary in a way she expected others not to lay a hand on Leslie.</p><p>Nia let go of the mortal’s hands. “I’m practicing how to control my strength,” she answered, groaning when Lyra winced.</p><p>Lena narrowed her eyes. “Why?” she demanded while her memory took her back to the bonfire where Nia appeared rather cozy around a human named Barney.</p><p>
  <em>Her timing can’t be a coincidence. </em>
</p><p>“I want to design outfits,” Nia replied, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s something I want to be able to do efficiently; hence Gayle is lending me her blood source.”</p><p>“Familiar,” Gayle corrected. “Lyra is my familiar.”</p><p>“All of this,” Lena said while gesturing at the table, “is for fashion purposes only?”</p><p>“That’s what I said,” Nia confirmed with a nod.</p><p>
  <em>You suck at lying. </em>
</p><p>Lena pursed her lips together. She watched Nia continue to practice with the human, holding her hands again, which apparently had to do with wanting to be a designer now. If she was honest, Lena needed to practice herself, to be softer around Kara. Unfortunately, the area Lena had to train most was the one she couldn’t use that human for or any mortal who wasn’t Kara. Lena knew very little about sexual intercourse with a human.</p><p>“Perhaps we can practice together,” Lena suggested, plucking a shirt from the pile. “Once I put this on without shredding it to pieces.”</p><p>“You might want to try texting Kara first,” Nia replied, frowning at the buzzing sounds. “She’s worried she pushed you too far.”</p><p>“I cracked my screen,” Lena confessed with a sigh. “I need… help.”</p><p>“You can borrow my phone to call her until you get yours fixed and when you’re done, we can practice how to hold a glass.”</p><p>“I’ll help,” Gayle offered. “I’ve been practicing this every day since I became a vampire.”</p><p>
  <em>I should have taught myself these silly human things. </em>
</p><p>“And?” Lena pondered, wondering if there was hope after all.</p><p>“No success yet. Humans are fragile. As long as the eggs keep cracking in my hands, I can’t touch a human without inflicting pain.”</p><p>Lena deflated. It appeared to be a lost cause, but with the daytime trapping her indoors, she had nothing better to do than try. “I need to let my anger out first,” she decided with a glint in her eyes. “Any volunteers?”</p><p>Nia raised her fists. “Show me what you got, oldtimer,” she poked with a devilish smile.</p><p>
  <em>How dare you call me that, you brat. </em>
</p><p>“Foolish girl,” Lena tsk-ed. “Never insult your elders.”</p><p>Lena kicked her foot against Nia’s abdomen, which sent the teenager crashing into the wall. Her ears picked up on Sarah and Zara running down the stairs. She caught them by their ankles and held them upside down. For a moment, she wondered if using them to break the table would be so terrible.</p><p>
  <em>Fighting them wouldn’t be fair. I’m much stronger than they will ever be, combined. </em>
</p><p>In the end, Lena opted to drop the demons and let them run back to their chambers. Nia, who had freed herself, swung her fist at Lena’s head. Lena ducked, grabbed Nia’s wrist and twisted her arm, pinning it behind her back.</p><p>Lena heard footsteps behind her and a split second later, a baseball bat smacked against the back of her head, shattering the thing into a thousand splinters.</p><p>“Look what ya did to Betty,” Harley said, staring at the ruin she created. “Hey, Red, quit hoggin’ the shower, Lena wants to fight. There’s no need to put yer clothes on, she ain’t dressed either.”</p><p>“Bring Harley’s spare bat down with you,” Lena added. “So I can shove it in her cunt.”</p><p>“My children can hear you,” Gayle bristled, arms crossed. “You ought to watch your tongue,” she whispered at Lena while she pointed her finger at her.</p><p>Lena snapped her teeth an inch from Gayle’s finger. “Those children shouldn’t be vampires,” Lena replied through narrowed eyes.</p><p>It was an abomination for a vampire to stoop as low as to turn six-year-olds, trapping them in such young bodies, stealing their life away. Lena detested it more than she hated the fact Reign turned Sarah, Zara, and Nia. While the latter claimed to have chosen a life as a vampire, the other children did not. It enraged Lena how Sarah, Zara, Elsa, and Anna were forced into immortality due to other vampires’ selfish decisions.</p><p>Just as Lena was robbed from her choice when Lucy turned her. Nobody, no matter how old, had the right to decide another person’s fate. But Lena knew that made her a hypocrite, with all the mortal lives she ended to feed. And still, part of her loathed Lucy for the past.</p><p>“This is on you,” Lena hissed, jabbing her finger into Gayle’s chest. “You did this to your own flesh and blood.”</p><p>“Enough,” Reign interrupted, emerging all of a sudden. “No children, no opinion,” she whispered harshly at Lena, shoving her shoulders, pushing her away from Gayle.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>It took one minute and eleven seconds on the phone with Kara for Lena to agree to meet up with her at the park at half-past eight. Lena meant to take space, but Kara mentioned she had an idea for a date that Lena would love, according to Kara, and Lena couldn’t bring herself to crush Kara’s heart by saying no. And so, a quarter after eight, Lena waited near the pond for her girlfriend to arrive, clad in a burgundy suit, which Nia helped her put on. She was but a step away from hiring the teenager as her personal dresser. It sure made it less difficult for Lena to change clothes, although if she tried enough times, she was perfectly capable of doing it on her own.</p><p>The word girlfriend had such a human connotation attached to it, though it made Kara happy, and was therefore an acceptable term to Lena. Each time she uttered the word, it tasted foreign on her tongue, alien. But then Kara smiled and the sensation ebbed away.</p><p>
  <em>Heathens, the things I do for love. </em>
</p><p>Vampires had companions from time to time, some fleeting whereas others lasted decades. Harley and Ivy were an item, as Nia called them, although they didn’t believe in monogamy and kept an open relationship. To immortals, it was all the same how someone wished to express themselves, without shame or judgment, or the need to label someone as if they were a tag on a piece of clothing.</p><p>Funny enough, their standards for a human-vampire relationship were warped by a lack of comprehension and therefore frowned upon. For all they understood in the world, such an unusual connection wasn’t one of those things.</p><p>
  <em>My coven accepts me for all I am. </em>
</p><p>While Lena had her fair share of arguments with the others at the mansion – in particular Lucy, Reign, and Nia who pulled the blood from underneath her nails one time too many – they all had her back when push came to shove.</p><p>Lena’s favorite heartbeat greeted her ears and several beats later, she saw Kara on top of the hill. But that adorable klutz of a human ran and tripped over her own two feet. Lena shot forward like a rocket and caught Kara in her arms.</p><p>
  <em>One day, this human is going to give me a heart attack. </em>
</p><p>“Lena?” Kara said, blinking her eyes. She regained her balance and straightened herself. “Weren’t you down at the pond a second ago? I could’ve sworn…I thought…I saw…You were there,” she uttered while her eyebrows knitted together.</p><p>Lena knew she took a risk, but she had no choice. “I’m right here, with you,” she replied, which to her relief wasn’t exactly a lie.</p><p>“I thought I was going to twist my ankle,” Kara chuckled, letting out a breath.</p><p>
  <em>As did I, my love. </em>
</p><p>“You are quite the daredevil,” Lena mused, swallowing down her concerns. “From running into poles to running down hills,” she added with a wink.</p><p>Kara gasped. “I only run into poles when I’m distracted. And I was running down the hill because I didn’t want to be late. Can’t keep a lady waiting,” she explained, kissing Lena on the cheek.</p><p>Lena wanted to grasp Kara’s blouse and pull her in for a real kiss, but she stopped herself short at the possibility of tearing off the buttons.</p><p>“I’m flattered you were willing to hurt your ankle for me so we could take a trip to the hospital together,” Lena voiced with a thin smile. “You sure know the way to my heart.”</p><p>“Jerk,” Kara laughed, slapping Lena’s arm with the strength of a human toddler.</p><p>Lena placed a hand on her chest. “And I love you, too.”</p><p>“If you’re going to be like this all night I’ll have to shut you up a lot, with my lips.”</p><p>“I’ve survived worse,” Lena hummed, laughing at Kara’s pout. “Come here,” Lena whispered, leaning in. “I’ll kiss it better.”</p><p>Lena felt Kara’s hands cupping her cheeks as she closed her eyes. Her senses flooded with the softness of all that was Kara while their lips locked. The kiss was slow, unrushed, and tender. Lena licked into Kara’s mouth, yearning for a taste. As their kiss deepened, Lena struggled not to bite Kara’s lower lip to draw a drop of blood.</p><p>“Much better,” Kara mumbled with a shuddering breath.</p><p>Lena followed Kara out of the park. In the distance, she heard cats meowing in an alley, scavenging for food. People in their households were having conversations and numerous televisions were on, attacking Lena’s eardrums with a mixture of movies and shows. A stench of beer clung to the bars they walked past, though those were mostly dampened by Kara’s heavenly scent. Lena’s arms erupted into goosebumps when Kara caressed her knuckles with her thumb; a simple yet intimate gesture.</p><p>
  <em>I shouldn’t have left in such a rush last night. </em>
</p><p>Exhaling a quiet sigh, Lena wondered if she should bring it up, and apologize. Abandoning Kara in such a disheveled state was never her intention, although Lena figured talking about it meant forming an explanation, which she was unable to do without exposing herself.</p><p>“We’re here,” Kara announced with a smile, stopping short in front of a building.</p><p>Lena’s eyes traveled from Kara to what appeared to be the museum. She observed as Kara approached the guard and handed him money. Kara was right, this was the kind of date idea Lena loved, though personally she felt love was too strong a word. Instead, she would describe it as a sincere interest she had turned into a passion of sorts.</p><p>The guard, rather than accepting the bribe for what it was, kept holding out his hand.</p><p>
  <em>Greedy wanker.</em>
</p><p>“Um, hold up, I have another five here…,” Kara mumbled. “And, ah, I believe I have a ten somewhere,” she continued, looking down at her wallet.</p><p>Behind Kara, Lena held up a roll of bills in one hand and put her finger in front of her lips with the other. She arched a brow, lips curling upward when the guard nodded.</p><p>“It’s okay, miss,” the guard told Kara, “you’ve paid enough. You can enter.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Kara beamed, eyes lighting up. “Let’s go, baby.”</p><p>
  <em>Baby? What ungodly reason warranted you calling me this?</em>
</p><p>In passing, Lena tossed the bills at the guard, biting back a chuckle when she heard him tumble to catch it, all greedy and despicable. Again, she reminded herself Kara was happy, and that was all that mattered.</p><p>“Tada,” Kara spoke, gesturing at everything in front of them. “What do you think?” she questioned, grasping Lena’s left hand with her right.</p><p>Lena relaxed her fingers, letting her girlfriend control how she wished to lace hers between. “I am rather fond of museums,” she answered, smiling as she took it all in.</p><p>It felt silly it hadn’t crossed Lena’s mind to pay off a human in the past two decades, give or take, to visit a museum at night, when everyone else had left. She used to break into a few until mortals began putting up cameras, forcing her to stop. Humans and their technology made life harder for vampires because it made the world louder and tougher to adapt to.</p><p>Lena knew she had to be mindful of captured footage, which mortals easily spread to the rest of the world with a couple of clicks on their devices. Living a dormant life was key to survival or else vampires would no longer be considered a mere myth. She hated the limitations she was forced to bow down to, but when she was around Kara, Lena wanted to restrain herself more than she was currently capable of.</p><p>“Look at this beautiful artwork,” Kara said while she pointed at the first thing in their line of sight.</p><p>“Yes, quite elegant,” Lena mused, drawing the tip of her finger down Kara’s jaw. “I never laid eyes on a more perfect sculpture,” Lena whispered, satisfied when Kara’s cheeks tinged red.</p><p>“Tease,” Kara mumbled. “Getting me all hot and bothered again,” she muttered an octave lower, feigning a cough, which did nothing to stop Lena from hearing her.</p><p>For Kara’s sake and the truth of her identity, Lena walked toward the first painting as if Kara hadn’t said anything.</p><p>“These irises are perhaps my favorite work of Van Gogh. He painted this one in Saint – Remy,” Lena hummed and the longer she admired his work, the stronger to urge became to talk.</p><p>“Many considered Vincent to be a tormented madman after he cut off his ear, though even so, the brilliance of his work was acknowledged. While a fair share of people sees his paintings as mere visual manifestations of his troubled mind, the truth is his innovative and unique artistic style was of enormous importance to inspire others to follow in his wake. He paved the path for a large host of artists and while he was openly influenced by his predecessors, his art remained identifiably his own. It is rather unfortunate his distinctive style failed to be accepted in his time. He was an artistic genius, believing what was done in love was done well.”</p><p>Lena gave herself a pause. “I am rambling, aren’t I?” she noted with a light chuckle.</p><p>“You are and I love the fact the tables have turned,” Kara replied, flashing her brightest smile. “Your passion for art is admirable. The way you speak of Van Gogh…it’s like you studied his work to the point where you can feel like you were actually there, even though you weren’t.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh, darling, I was. </em>
</p><p>Lena went on, sharing her thoughts on every piece the museum possessed while Kara listened, all the while she fell in love with Kara that much deeper.</p><p>“There’s one more thing to the surprise, baby.”</p><p>Lena couldn’t help herself any longer. She had to ask. “Baby?” she repeated, lifting a brow.</p><p>“Yes, I’m, uh, testing it out, sort of,” Kara said, chewing her lip, scooting the tip of her shoe over the floor. “I want to call you something sweet and soft because you’re really sweet and soft, and I love you, and I think it’s cute. But if you don’t like it I can call you something else like, um, cupcake or honey bun or sugar plum or gumdrop or sweet pea.”</p><p>
  <em>Now you’re just listing food, darling. </em>
</p><p>“I can live with baby,” Lena uttered, although she knew once the others heard it they would use it as fuel to mock her. “As long as you don’t turn it into baby girl,” she added while a shiver ran down her spine.</p><p>Lena went through enough mental scarring with Reign hundred-and-two years ago when Reign had sex with other vampires and purred baby girl at them while they referred to Reign as daddy. In light of that, Reign housing children certainly wasn’t the worst idea she ever had.</p><p>“Which surprise do you have in mind next?” Lena pondered, prepared to stay by Kara’s side for as long as the night allowed her to.</p><p>Staying the night was sadly no longer in the cards unless Lena feigned a migraine. With the summertime creeping closer, the sun rose earlier, making it tough to leave before it did. She knew Kara struggled to get up when Nia spent the night at her place, and Lena didn’t wish to put Kara through that again. If Lena came up with too many excuses, suspicion was bound to grow.</p><p>“The night is still young and there’s this great dive bar not too far from my apartment,” Kara announced with a smile as they left the museum. “So we could go there and order a couple of bloody Mary’s. I’ve never tried one of those before and I know it’s your favorite…so what do you say?”</p><p>
  <em>Oh darling.</em>
</p><p>“Perhaps another time,” Lena uttered, though the truth was it would never happen. “I am a tad exhausted tonight.”</p><p>Lena regretted she told Kara her favorite drink was a bloody Mary and in hindsight, she should have avoided answering Kara’s curiosity by distracting her with a kiss or changing topics. It was sweet how Kara designed this date to fit Lena’s taste, alas, she had to stare into those gentle blues and let her down.</p><p>“No, that’s…sure, another time,” Kara replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s important to get enough rest and I can imagine it’s rather tiring to walk through the woods. I think I won’t stay up much longer either, actually. Some extra sleep is never bad and I do have an early day tomorrow, sort of. There’s always time for other things later and the bar isn’t going anywhere. I have plenty to show you as I’m sure you have many things to show me, and it’s good not to rush anything. I’ll try a bloody Mary some other time. I can’t tolerate alcohol that well, so it’s actually a good thing not to drink tonight because my sister expects me tomorrow. This is probably how it was meant to be and I had a good time listening to you talk about art, and I know that when I close my eyes tonight, I’ll see you again in my dreams.”</p><p>Kara laughed, but her eyes were wet and her heartbeat was all over the place.</p><p>“I am sorry,” Lena whispered, and she truly was.</p><p>
  <em>I wish I could tell you why I behave oddly at times. </em>
</p><p>“There’s no need to be. These are happy tears because I’ve had a nice time with you and because I love you,” Kara said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m fine, really,” she nodded. “I’m super-duper fine,” she insisted, lips pressed together as she smiled, bobbing her head.</p><p>“I’ll, ah…,” Kara uttered, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. “I’ll go home and we’ll talk again later.”</p><p>“I can walk you to your door,” Lena offered.</p><p>“No, no, you don’t need to do that tonight,” Kara responded, waving her hands. “I don’t want you to exhaust yourself further by going out of your way to get me home. Just, erm, text me when you’re home, so I can spam your phone with hearts.”</p><p>Kara stepped forward, into Lena’s space, and kissed her on the lips. It was brief, no more than two seconds at most, and when she pulled away, Lena’s heart sank.</p><p>Lena watched on as Kara’s form retreated until she was nothing more but a dot in the distance. She stood there alone and while she knew deep down Kara hadn’t abandoned her, Lena felt untethered and incomplete. Willing her legs to move, she jogged toward the woods and sped to the mansion, where she didn’t have to hide her nature.</p><p>Lena leveled the table with the floor and grabbed the first chair within her reach until Reign wrapped her arms around her. She fought against Reign’s hold, finding herself unable to move, and it was then tears sprung from Lena’s eyes while Reign stroked her hair.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Tear me to pieces, skin to bone ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Hello, welcome home ♪</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song is 'Lovely' by Billie Eilish. </p><p>The next chapter will be up sometime this weekend or maybe tomorrow, I'll see. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara’s shirt stuck to her skin while she grabbed another box from the truck, one labeled books. “I think I might cancel on our training session tonight,” she told her best friend with a chuckle.</p><p>Imra nodded and fiddled with the sunglasses perched atop her nose.</p><p>“Careful,” Kara warned her sister as she handed over the box, “this one’s heavy.”</p><p>“I, oomph, got it,” Alex huffed out, supporting the weight by lifting one of her knees. “You might have to move again, soon,” she laughed at her girlfriend. “I underestimated how much stuff you have.”</p><p>Kelly smiled. “With the helpful tips of Marie Kondo, we’ll be able to utilize our space wisely,” she reassured, climbing onto the truck.</p><p>“Jam help,” Jamie cooed while she stretched out her arms and wriggled her fingers.</p><p>“Hmm, I do have a pillow around here somewhere,” Kelly hummed, rummaging through her belongings.</p><p>“Is it the heart-shaped one I got you for our one month anniversary?” Alex questioned, hoisting the box higher.</p><p>“You know it is, babe,” Kelly answered with a wink. “Nights where I wasn’t with you, I couldn’t sleep without holding your heart.”</p><p>“Get your butt down here so I can kiss you.”</p><p>
  <em>Please marry each other so I can give the speech I wrote. </em>
</p><p>For a hot minute, Kara forgot she was supposed to help unload the truck, too wrapped up being in awe of the sweet relationship her sister had with Kelly. Seeing them together had Kara believe in the existence of soulmates and it made her dream of a future with Lena, although last night was a bit strange. Kara felt confused how Lena shifted between hot and cold. One minute, it seemed Lena was all for going somewhere else after they left the museum, and the next she got cold feet and lied about being exhausted. Kara couldn’t read Lena’s mind, but she wasn’t oblivious either, so she knew Lena wasn’t always honest.</p><p>Whatever it was that held Lena back, Kara wished she would tell her, trust her. Kara could only guess if it had something to do with a past relationship that went sour or if there was another reason that hadn’t even crossed her mind. Whatever it was, she hoped Lena would feel safe enough to open up about it to her someday. Kara wanted to give Lena time and space, though she wasn’t sure how long she could maintain a relationship with a visible dent in their communication.</p><p>
  <em>Lena encouraged me to open up, so why doesn’t she?</em>
</p><p>“Imra, are you okay?” Alex asked, stirring Kara from her thoughts.  </p><p>Imra rubbed her eyes underneath her sunglasses. “The sun is a little intense today,” she sighed. “My eyes kind of hurt, but I’ll live.”</p><p>Kara hopped down from the truck. The sun felt nice on her exposed skin, though it was only too hot because she already spent half of her morning loading boxes and such onto the truck from Kelly’s apartment, while Imra arrived at Alex’s place not long ago. It was barely t-shirt weather, in Kara’s opinion.</p><p>“Hey,” Kara whispered, giving Imra’s shoulder a squeeze. “Did you go out with Gayle last night?” Kara questioned, keeping her voice down in case her best friend had a pounding headache.</p><p>“I… yes, we hung out,” Imra replied, wetting her lips with her tongue.</p><p>“I’ll go get you some water,” Kara offered, jogging inside.</p><p>“Jam help!” Jamie giggled, running after Kara with the heart-shaped pillow in her chubby little arms.</p><p>
  <em>She’s so cute I could eat her up. </em>
</p><p>Kara stopped short in front of the kitchen and spun around to capture her niece. “I got you,” she said with a laugh, scooping her niece up before she bumped her head and hurt herself.</p><p>Kara put the pillow aside on the couch and tickled Jamie’s tummy until she squealed. She would have loved to entertain the little munchkin more, but she was on a mission, and her sister counted on her help as well. So, she put Jamie down and grabbed a clean glass from the cupboard.</p><p>In another, Kara found some aspirin, which she put at the bottom before filling the glass with water. She hadn’t seen Imra drunk in a while, but she knew her best friend went clubbing more ever since she met Gayle, and developed a crush.</p><p>
  <em>Did Gayle hurt her?</em>
</p><p>Alex put the box with books on the counter, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. “There’s some aspirin in-”</p><p>“I know,” Kara nodded. “I put one in the glass.”</p><p>“Mommy, mommy!” Jamie squealed, wrapping her arms around her mother’s legs. “Jam help!”</p><p>“That’s right, baby girl,” Alex replied, smiling from ear to ear, crouching down to hug her daughter.</p><p>“She called you mommy,” Kara noted, eyes filled with awe.</p><p>
  <em>I knew she could do it. </em>
</p><p>“Yeah,” Alex whispered, blinking away a tear. “My little girl’s growing up.”</p><p>Genuine tears of happiness welled up in Kara’s eyes, unlike the ones she shed last night, which came from a place of pain. She took a deep breath to get a grip on herself and walked back outside to her best friend, who stood near the curb with her head ducked down.</p><p>“Here,” Kara said, holding out the glass. “I got you some water and an aspirin.”</p><p>Imra’s fingers trembled and she jumped a step back when the glass fell and shattered onto the sidewalk. “Oh God,” she voiced, burying her fingers in her hair. “I’m sorry, I thought I had it.”</p><p>“I’ll clean it up,” Kelly spoke. “Keep Jamie away from this area,” she ordered, gesturing at all of the broken pieces.</p><p>“Careful, babe,” Alex said with a deep sigh, emerging behind them with Jamie on her hip. “I don’t want you to cut yourself.”</p><p>Kara frowned at her best friend. Something was wrong and she wished she would have picked up her phone last night when Imra called. Kara was in her bed, in her pajamas, thinking about Lena when it happened. And instead of answering, she sent Imra to voicemail, but Imra didn’t leave one. About half an hour later, Kara did text to check if there was anything urgent, but her best friend responded saying she dialed her number by mistake, so Kara had let it go.</p><p>
  <em>I wasn’t there when she needed me. </em>
</p><p>“I think we all need a break,” Alex decided. “I’ll make us some sandwiches so we can eat first and regain our strength.”</p><p>“I’ll have to pass,” Imra replied, waving her left hand. “My stomach doesn’t feel right.”</p><p>“Okay, that does it, I’m calling you an Uber,” Alex sighed, beckoning Imra inside with her finger. “I’ll check your vitals because you might need to see a doctor.”</p><p>“That’s not necessary, Al,” Imra sighed aloud. “I can walk home. I’m just a little nauseous, nothing too severe. Dropping the glass was an accident, it slipped. You’re being overprotective, as usual. Right, Kara?”</p><p>Kara swallowed. “No,” she uttered, chewing her lip. “Alex is right. You might need to see a doctor.”</p><p>“Look,” Imra said, holding up her hands. “I love both of you and it’s sweet you want to take care of me, but I can walk home on my own. All I need is sleep and I’ll be as good as new.”</p><p>“Hold up,” Alex spoke, fishing her phone out of her pocket. “Either I’m calling you an Uber or I’m hauling your ass inside, your call.”</p><p>Kara rolled her lips into her mouth. She fully agreed with her sister, who in this case did what was best.</p><p>Imra’s shoulders sagged. “Fine,” she relented, dragging her feet inside. “You can call an Uber so I can go home and feel embarrassed about getting drunk.”</p><p>While Alex phoned an Uber and Kelly cleaned up the glass, Kara sat next to Imra on the couch to find out what happened last night that had her drink so much. But Imra didn’t say much and left as soon as her Uber arrived with the promise nothing was wrong.</p><p>Kara still had her doubts, but she knew her best friend knew how much promises meant to her, and Imra wasn’t the kind of person to lie to her.</p><p>
  <em>I guess she just had one too many drinks while she was having fun. </em>
</p><p>Kara ate four sandwiches before resuming her labor, offering to help unpack once the truck was empty, which totally wasn’t an excuse to stick around long enough for Kelly to cook dinner. And it also had nothing to do with the chocolate cake she spotted in the refrigerator.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara wanted to follow Leslie’s advice and take a break from streaming live on Instagram, which she needed to get a breather, but she also wanted to spread awareness. The money her shelter and many others needed to stay afloat wasn’t going to raise itself. So, with less than an hour before her girlfriend arrived left, Kara shot a quick video and tagged the links to encourage people to support their local shelter.</p><p>“I hope people heard us, Mister Jingles,” Kara said, putting her phone aside. “We ran out of space and if we can’t expand soon, we’ll have to turn people who bring in animals away, and point them to another shelter where they…”</p><p>Kara shuddered.</p><p>
  <em>Think happy thoughts.</em>
</p><p>Kara tried to distract herself by cuddling her cat, but that only made her think about the shelter more. It saddened her how according to the latest numbers Eve reported, for every animal that got adopted, six to seven more were brought in. Pets were a responsibility not everyone was willing or able to take. To Kara, Mister Jingles was her child, so in a way, she did have a kid after all.</p><p>Shifting her thoughts to Lena, Kara got up to light candles. She was somewhat surprised when her girlfriend texted earlier to ask if she had any plans tonight. After the way Lena brushed her off two nights ago, she wasn’t expecting her to reach out so soon. With a smile, Kara realized they hung out together a lot, almost every night.</p><p>Daytime dates, however, were tough to score. Then again, Kara did keep rather busy during those hours with her job, her best friend, and the time she spent with her sister or with her niece. But for once, she would love it if they could have a picnic together or enjoy the sunrise. The former would be difficult with Lena’s secretive special diet.</p><p>“Should I use my rose scented candles or my regular ones? What do you think, Mister Jingles?” Kara asked as she fetched a handful of each. “Hmm, the scented ones,” Kara whispered, placing them on her coffee table. “Those are nicer and more romantic, and Lena is definitely a hopeless romantic like me. I hope she’s the one who’ll stay, Mister Jingles. I really, really, like her, and I love her, and I like when she holds my hand,” she sighed dreamily.</p><p>“You like her too, don’t you?” Kara uttered, petting Mister Jingles’ head, scratching lightly behind his ears. “Yes, yes, yes, you do. She always brings you catnip, you spoiled little cutie,” she cooed, smiling while her cat purred.</p><p>
  <em>I do wonder why you attacked her when you first met her. </em>
</p><p>“Another mystery,” Kara noted, exhaling a sigh.</p><p>If only she could ask Mister Jingles what had possessed him to launch at Lena that way. Lena was a kind woman, who was there to keep Jamie from tumbling into the pond and possibly drown. There was no reason to dislike Lena, though after that one odd occurrence, Mister Jingles never so much as hissed at Lena. Kara figured it had to be a weird fluke.</p><p>“Candles, check,” Kara hummed. She glanced down at her basic shirt and jeans. “Now I just have to find something better to wear and put it on before Lena’s here.”</p><p>Kara chucked her shirt over her head and undid the button of her pants as she walked into her bedroom. She skimmed through her wardrobe in search of something enticing that could help her seduce Lena a little. The suit she wore to the bonfire got some attention, but this time she chose a black pencil skirt she bought when she went shopping with Imra last summer and tied the outfit together with a white dotted blouse, which she tucked into her skirt.</p><p>With another idea in mind, Kara pushed her couch to the side. It took her some effort to move that thing by herself, but with a lot of groaning, it finally budged. She shoved it as close to the wall as she could, without blocking her door. Then, she put blankets and pillows onto the floor where her couch used to be.</p><p>
  <em>I hope Lena will like this. </em>
</p><p>Kara stood two steps away from her door, twiddling her thumbs while she waited for Lena to knock. In the end, Kara swung her door open and spent a good ten minutes pretending she was inspecting the wood until Lena arrived.</p><p>“Hello, darling,” Lena greeted. Her painted red lips curved up. “Something the matter with your door?”</p><p>“Hey, baby!” Kara beamed, leaning against the frame. “Um, no, my door is fine, it’s all wood,” she answered, rapping her knuckles on her door, “err, good. It’s all good.”</p><p>
  <em>Maybe if I groan only on the inside, she won’t notice how embarrassed I feel. </em>
</p><p>Lena shook her head, smile widening. “Adorable,” she uttered, planting a kiss on Kara’s nose.</p><p>It was a soft brush, but entirely enough to sweep Kara off of her feet and make her a little light-headed. She loved how with one word and a peck, Lena managed to make her feel better and replace her shame with the thought it was just one of her quirks which Lena happened to like.</p><p>“Come in, come in,” Kara insisted with a wave, “I put together a little something for us to sit.”</p><p>Lena’s eyes swept around the room. She paused at the candles and inhaled audibly before nodding and letting out a hum, which Kara took as approval. Lena’s eyes stopped at the blankets and pillows on the floor and as she sat down, Kara noticed Lena brought a backpack with her.</p><p>
  <em>Please be pajamas. </em>
</p><p>Kara had to work tomorrow, but even so, she was open to Lena staying the night. Although, due to how easy Lena aroused her, Kara wasn’t sure if she was going to get much sleep if they cuddled and kissed in her bed. Unless Lena planned on taking things further tonight.</p><p>Noticing Lena staring at her, Kara smiled and went to sit down across from her. Wearing a pencil skirt was one thing, but moving in it posed a challenge. With the help of a cushion and Lena’s outstretched hand, Kara finally got comfortable.</p><p>“So,” Kara began while she peeled her eyes away from the backpack. “How was your day?”</p><p>“Well, Nia screamed,” Lena said, “after she couldn’t find her mascara anywhere.”</p><p>Kara’s lips curled upward. “She sounds like my sister when she lost her favorite lipstick.”</p><p>“When you were younger?”</p><p>“Oh, no,” Kara replied with a shake of her head, “that happened yesterday.”</p><p>Lena swept her hair over her shoulder as she laughed, making it hard not to stare at her.</p><p>Kara bit her lip while smiling. “Did Nia’s mascara turn up?”</p><p>
  <em>I haven’t known her long, but I know Nia won’t be caught dead without her makeup. </em>
</p><p>“If by turning up you mean Sarah and Zara used it to decorate their bedroom walls, then yes.”</p><p>“Oh my God, they <em>didn’t</em>,” Kara whispered, jaw dropping for a second. “Rey must’ve freaked.”</p><p>Lena positioned herself closer. She sucked her lips into her mouth and nodded. “I told her letting the twins express themselves freely would come at a price. Now, her eardrums might never recover from Nia’s chilling scream,” she shared with a light shudder.</p><p>Kara wasn’t against allowing children to kind of choose their activities and such, although some boundaries were necessary, or else there would be nothing but chaos. When she was younger, hobbies were encouraged but did need to be discussed first, and if she doodled on the walls, she got grounded. But in her defense, she was like seven at the time and it was meant to be a mother’s day surprise.</p><p>“Do Sarah and Zara choose their own clothes?” Kara wondered aloud. “Or is Rey just a fan of The Shining?”</p><p>Lena’s eyebrows creased together. “The Shining? How so?”</p><p>“I mean, erm, it’s obviously a creepy movie and it has these twin girls who scare the bejeezus out of me, which was my first impression of your sisters when I met them.”</p><p>“In my defense,” Kara added quickly, lifting a finger, “it was dark and…and…yup.”</p><p>“Yup,” Lena giggled, popping the p, nose wrinkling. “I am not too fond of children myself, though I wouldn’t say I’m terrified of them.”</p><p>“It was dark and they were suddenly there,” Kara gasped, “and you live in a mansion in the woods, which might as well have been a very large cabin.”</p><p>
  <em>I should’ve never watched Cabin in the Woods with Alex. That movie nearly ruined mermaids for me.</em>
</p><p>“Fear of children and cabins,” Lena mused with a smile playing at her lips. “Any other ghastly creatures or buildings I should be protecting you from?”</p><p>Kara knew zombies and the likes weren’t real, but that didn’t mean they didn’t startle her on screen. Besides, just because they didn’t exist now didn’t mean they never would. Inspiration always came from somewhere and who knew what kind of things they kept in area 51. Unicorns didn’t exist either, especially not murderous ones, although Legends of Tomorrow – a show Alex roped her into watching – begged to differ.</p><p>“I can’t stomach horror movies that well,” Kara admitted with a sigh. “But if you want to know something I’m afraid of which poses a genuine threat to my life, it’s kiwi.”</p><p>Lena tilted her head to the side. “The fruit?” she queried, all humor gone from her voice.</p><p>“I’m allergic,” Kara nodded. “One bite and I wouldn’t be able to breathe, which is why I always carry an EpiPen with me.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh God, I’m killing the mood. </em>
</p><p>“Anyways,” Kara coughed. “Would I be wrong to assume you never want children?”</p><p>“It isn’t my desire to become a parent,” Lena confirmed.</p><p>Kara almost let out a deep breath of relief. “I don’t want children either,” she stated with a firm shake of her head. “The only kid I need is Mister Jingles.”</p><p>Lena bit her lip and slowly let go. “Not the worst package deal in the world,” she whispered, eyes smoldering as they held Kara’s.</p><p>
  <em>There go the butterflies again. </em>
</p><p>Kara ducked her head, cheeks feeling too hot at the prolonged contact. She never thought she would be the one struggling to keep it in her pants, out of all people, but something about Lena made her want to jump her bones.</p><p>“You look a little flushed, darling,” Lena commented, never quite giving Kara break during times where her heart already sped up enough. “I do appreciate that color on you,” Lena added with a smile.</p><p>“You know what else would look good on me?” Kara replied, exhaling a breath as she placed her hand on her knee. “You.”</p><p>Lena turned her head to the side and parted her lips about an inch or two; all the while her chest stopped moving. And when she started breathing again, it came out in short puffs.</p><p>Kara shifted until she was able to lean forward onto her knees. “Baby,” she uttered, cupping Lena’s jaw, “is it too much too soon? Am I reading into this wrong?”</p><p>Lena pressed her lips into a faint smile when their eyes met once more. “Whenever I have a moment of privacy, I touch myself to the thought of you,” she answered, covering Kara’s hand with her own.</p><p>
  <em>To jump her bones or to not jump her bones. Where’s a flower when I need one?</em>
</p><p>“I want to kiss you,” Lena said, “though you might need to breathe first.”</p><p>“Says you,” Kara quipped, letting herself fall into Lena’s arms, lips crashing together in a way that wasn’t the most elegant or gentle, but Kara didn’t care because she was on top of Lena and they were kissing.</p><p>Lena lowered herself onto the pillows, taking Kara down with her. She whispered in a foreign language, not loud enough for Kara to make out any of the words, though one sounded like fuck. Kara peppered Lena’s face and neck with her lips, getting to as much exposed skin as she could while Lena caressed her back with her fingertips.</p><p>The sensation tickled Kara and it was different from being stroked by the palm of Lena’s hands. Kara twitched on top of Lena when a singular finger traced her spine. In retaliation, she nipped her teeth right underneath Lena’s jaw, smiling as she drew a gasp out of her.</p><p>“I must warn you, darling,” Lena whispered, cupping Kara’s cheeks, “if you bite, I’ll bite back harder.”</p><p>Kara gulped at the thought of Lena marking her and while biting wasn’t exactly her scene, Kara did enjoy the playful kind that easily led to getting naked. She kissed Lena again, nibbling at her bottom lip this time, stopping when she felt Lena’s hand against her chest.</p><p>“I brought you something,” Lena announced.</p><p>Kara’s eyelashes fluttered. “You got me a gift?”</p><p>
  <em>She didn’t have to do that. </em>
</p><p>“You said you wanted to try a bloody Mary,” Lena explained while she revealed a black thermos and a red one from her backpack. “And since I didn’t accompany you to the dive bar, I thought I could bring the bar to you instead.”</p><p>Kara placed her hands on her cheeks, eyes shining at her girlfriend. “You’re unbelievable,” she said, shaking her head with a smile, dropping her hands. “I love you.”</p><p>“Te quiero (I love you),” Lena whispered. “Mis sentimientos por ti nunca morirán (my feelings for you will never die).”</p><p>“So…,” Kara uttered, leaning in, “completely,” she said, breath ghosting near Lena’s lips, “unfair,” Kara sighed, “when you…,” she added, teasing that gorgeous mouth with her tongue, “switch languages...,” she hummed, getting a taste, “like that.”</p><p>Kara felt a whoosh of air leave Lena’s lungs as she crashed her lips against Lena’s. Her hands shot up to grasp the back of Lena’s neck, toying with the fine hairs there while she licked into Lena’s mouth. Kara heard the thermoses clatter together, but even if they had been open and the liquid spilled onto the blanket, she wouldn’t stop until she desperately needed to breathe.</p><p>It was Lena who pulled away first.</p><p>“Easy, darling,” Lena chuckled, “I am somewhat parched.”</p><p>“Me too,” Kara uttered breathlessly. “I’ll get the glasses,” she said as she got up.</p><p>Kara rummaged through her cupboard, opting for two champagne glasses. When she returned to her makeshift accommodation, Lena was just in the process of sipping from the red thermos through a metal straw.</p><p>“I hope you don’t mind,” Lena uttered with a small smile. “Red is my favorite color and I am quite thirsty.”</p><p>Kara awkwardly sat down with the glasses. She reached for the black thermos, thinking about filling both glasses anyway so she could at least see what she was drinking. Kara knew it was a bloody Mary like Lena told her, but one whole thermos was too much for her to finish by herself anyway.</p><p>“Want one?” Lena questioned, holding up a second metal straw. “They are environmentally responsible and a bloody Mary is best enjoyed through a straw.”</p><p>Kara blinked. She sat the glasses aside and accepted the alternative. It was possible Lena was right it tasted better that way. Kara wasn’t an expert and her knowledge of alcohol was basic at best, so she took Lena on her word.</p><p>“I didn’t know you cared so much about the environment,” Kara voiced, dipping her straw in her thermos.</p><p>“Have you ever seen me drive a car, darling?”</p><p>“I haven’t,” Kara admitted, and she knew Lena didn’t live nearby.</p><p>Kara felt impressed by Lena’s efforts to keep her ecological footprint small, something she looked up to. Personally, she wasn’t mindful enough just yet, not in the way Kara wanted to be, but she did opt for reusable bags as much as possible and she never let food go to waste.</p><p>“Teach me your ways, sensei,” Kara said with a giggle. She sucked her straw and yanked her head back when mainly vodka coated her tongue. “Wow, you sure like strong drinks.”</p><p>“I doubt you can handle my ways,” Lena winked as if that tease didn’t know precisely what Kara meant.</p><p>But Kara wasn’t quick to get flustered this time because if Lena was going to get bolder, then so was she. Two could play at that game because silent water ran deep and Kara wasn’t always a wallflower.</p><p>Gazing right into Lena’s eyes, Kara licked the tip of her straw before sucking. “Try me, baby,” she challenged, setting the thermos down. “Well?” she went on, raising a brow. “Are you all talk and no action or are you going to put your mouth where your words are?”</p><p>Lena took another sip from her drink before setting hers aside as well. “Why must you play with fire, darling?” she sighed softly, fingers twisting in Kara’s blouse.</p><p>The top two buttons didn’t survive Lena’s pull, which only spurred Kara on as she closed the gap between them. When their tongues danced, Kara tasted something tangy on Lena’s, but with the flavor mixing with the bloody Mary, she couldn’t quite place what it was.</p><p>Kara moaned when Lena nipped at her lower lip mid-kiss. She bit back in response, smiling against Lena’s lips, gasping when Lena nicked her.</p><p>Kara leaned her head back and touched her fingertips to her mouth. “You do bite,” she noted with a laugh as she looked at the drop of blood on her index finger. “Your teeth are sharper than they look.”</p><p>Lena’s fingers curled around Kara’s wrist, one by one, and then she took Kara’s finger between her lips, sucking it clean.</p><p>“Así que esto es lo que sabes (so this is what you taste like).”</p><p>Kara didn’t understand a single word of that, but the way Lena said it with a burning intensity in her eyes, caused her to shudder all the same.</p><p>“Wait,” Kara uttered with a frown. “Doesn’t blood make you…,” she trailed off when Lena got up and jogged toward her bathroom. “Squeamish,” Kara finished in a whisper, pressing her teeth together.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Hey,” Kara said upon entering the shelter. “How far are you on unpacking boxes?”</p><p>Eve sat behind the desk with a stack of paperwork in front of her. “Barney will be working here one or two days a week,” she shared, scribbling down a signature.</p><p>“Wait really?” Kara blinked, standing still. She could just about imagine that kid’s excitement to work with animals and get closer to their dream. “That’s great.”</p><p>“And you don’t need to display any more shirts,” Eve added. “Someone came by last night just as I was about to go home, bought them all and made a sizeable donation. We scraped enough money together to move to a bigger location and double our capacity. Oh, and they gifted us a new van.”</p><p>
  <em>Wow, this day is full of surprises. </em>
</p><p>“That’s amazing,” Kara replied, smiling from ear to ear. “Who was it?”</p><p>“I cannot disclose that information. They asked to remain anonymous.”</p><p>Kara understood the importance of privacy, so she decided not to pry. Whenever she donated to charity, she often did so anonymously as well.</p><p>“We’ll be hiring at least two more people,” Eve announced, which made sense if they were going to expand soon. “I’m working on the ad and I was hoping you’d be willing to help screen people?”</p><p>“Definitely, yes!” Kara answered without missing a beat. “You can count on me like one, two, three,” she chuckled. “Sorry, that was lame.”</p><p>Eve let out a laugh. “You arrived just in time. There’s a couple waiting in the back, looking to adopt a dog and I’m kind of busy with all of this paperwork that needs to be done by the end of the day.”</p><p>Kara nodded and got right to it, always happy to help animals find their perfect human(s). She walked to the back and froze for a second as she laid eyes on the couple.</p><p>“Lexa,” Kara uttered with a thin smile, “and Clarke,” she remembered from the movies.</p><p>“The one and only,” Clarke confirmed with a smile.</p><p>“It’s nice seeing you again, Kara,” Lexa said, shaking her hand. “Clarke and I are here to-”</p><p>“Adopt a dog, yep, right this way,” Kara interrupted, picking up her pace to go see the dogs.</p><p>
  <em>I should slow down, but there are so many sweet pets to show them. </em>
</p><p>Kara started off by showing them the dogs that had been at the shelter the longest. Something she always did, in the hopes people would adopt one of them rather than a cute little puppy. The first one was Chewey, a dog who earned his name by chewing his blanket and his toys until they were all ruined. The next one was Princess; a tiny Chihuahua brought in by a man who said the dog hated his newborn baby and wanted all the attention to herself.</p><p>Chewey didn’t show any interest in the couple, tearing up his latest toy instead. And Princess took a liking to Lexa but barked as soon as Clarke took Lexa’s hand in hers.</p><p>“Next we have a dog who doesn’t bite and doesn’t get jealous,” Kara went on, scratching the back of her neck. “His name is Fish.”</p><p>“Fish?” Clarke repeated, sharing a look with Lexa.</p><p>“It’s an inside joke of those who work here,” Kara answered with a shrug and a smile. “A couple called us about a dog a couple of months ago, who had jumped into their pool. When we arrived there, he wouldn’t get out for like an hour,” she shared with a laugh, remembering how drenched her clothes were that day because she volunteered to go after him.</p><p>“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Lexa mumbled, smiling at Clarke.</p><p>Clarke smiled back. “We do have a pool…”</p><p>“Oh my God,” Kara gasped. “You guys are perfect for Fish! I mean…you would be if you’ll have him.”</p><p>
  <em>Please adopt him. Please, please, please. He’s such a good doggo and a really good swimmer. </em>
</p><p>“It’s your birthday gift so it’s your decision,” Lexa said to Clarke.</p><p>“Fish,” Clarke whispered with a hum. She chuckled when Fish wagged his tail upon hearing his name. “I think we just found our first son,” she told Lexa, kissing her cheek.</p><p>Kara felt she couldn’t have a better day now that a wonderful couple adopted one of her shelter’s many good boys and now that thanks to the kindness of a stranger, many more animals would receive the best care until they found their forever home.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Leslie shuffled inside the cellar and emptied the contents of her bag onto the table for Lena to see. It was all the same, totaling a dozen pieces, just as Lena had requested.</p><p>“What’s your deal with all of this fruit anyways?” Leslie questioned, catching the beer Lena tossed at her. “You trying to make a fruit salad or something?” Leslie snorted, opening her can, taking a sip.</p><p>“Kara is allergic,” Lena answered in a flat tone. “I must learn its smell to protect her from consuming this poison.”</p><p>“That’s kinda sweet, in a totally disgusting way. She must mean a lot to you.”</p><p>Lena lowered her nose to the table, hovering above the first kiwi. The fruity scent, while better than other types of food, irked her sensitive sense of smell. But once inhaled enough, she could blindly fish it out of a fruit salad or any other dish.</p><p>
  <em>My heightened senses aren’t a burden for once. </em>
</p><p>Leslie crossed one arm over the other. “You’re scared you’ll lose her, aren’t you?”</p><p>“I am not answering your misplaced assumptions,” Lena bristled, nostrils flaring.</p><p>
  <em>How dare she discuss my emotions? </em>
</p><p>Lena’s jaw tensed. She didn’t spend the night here and stayed for the day out of appreciation of Leslie’s refrigerated blood. No, she was here in need of a break from the others at the mansion. And the hours Leslie spent sleeping gave Lena the chance to weep without being overheard.</p><p>“I’m scared, too,” Leslie spoke, apparently gone deaf and grown even more ignorant than before. “I worry I’ll fuck up and lose Lucy. I’ve always been half-alive until she took me by the hand and made me feel like I’m worthy of love,” she uttered with a thin smile. “And without going on much of a limb here, I think that’s how you feel about Kara.”</p><p>Lena opened her mouth to snap and put that damned mortal in her place, but Leslie spoke again.</p><p>“And now you’re gonna put up your walls like you always do,” Leslie scoffed. She took a swig of her beer before adding, “we’re not as different as you think.”</p><p>Lena couldn’t afford mistakes. Kiwi was one of Kara’s weaknesses and it was a danger Lena was capable of helping Kara avoid, unlike other threats. She wasn’t there when Nia snuck behind her back and lured Kara into the mansion, which thankfully hadn’t ended in a bloodbath, but it could have.</p><p>Lena licked her teeth, laughing. “I am not losing the woman I love because of a silly piece of fruit,” she said while wiping the first kiwi off of the table.</p><p>“Do you think you’ll ever tell her you’re a vampire?”</p><p>Lena knew she couldn’t outrun the truth forever. Eventually, she had to come clean about why she never ate, went outside when the sun was out or aged, among other inexplicable details. Most of all, she couldn’t explain how she claimed blood made her nauseous yet she bit Kara’s lip and sucked the blood from her finger, which was a mistake.</p><p>Lena had blood in her red thermos, specially brought with her to help curb her thirst around Kara and her restraint still snapped. She warned Kara about biting back, but it was all on Lena because she knew better whereas an innocent human such as Kara didn’t. The taste she had caused Lena to yearn for another and the fact it was forbidden made the vampire in her want Kara’s blood more.</p><p>“One day, I must tell her or leave her,” Lena whispered, squashing the second kiwi into mush with the press of her palm, “even though both options promise pain.”</p><p>“You can’t know for sure telling her will result in pain.”</p><p>“Bloody hell, Leslie, I lied to her. I am still lying to her.”</p><p>“Welcome to humanity where people fuck up,” Leslie replied, raising her can. “Oh, and, I have to go soon for like an hour. I kind of have this meeting and, uh, yeah,” she explained, staring at her feet.</p><p>Lena shot up from the chair. She took a lock of Leslie’s hair between her fingertips and inhaled as she leaned in close. The scent of Leslie’s blood tickled her nose, fresh and pure.</p><p>“You…,” Lena whispered, letting go as she took a step back. “You’re clean,” she noted, staring at the vein pulsating on Leslie’s neck.</p><p>“Yeah,” Leslie hummed with a grin, “I use soap every day.”</p><p>Lena rolled her eyes. “You tried to tell me before you stopped using drugs,” she recalled with a sigh, “and I yelled in your face…”</p><p>“How you didn’t need refrigerated garbage?” Leslie filled in, snorting. “You have a temper, ain’t something I didn’t know.”</p><p>
  <em>Why is my stomach twisting into invisible knots?</em>
</p><p>Lena wished she hadn’t been so harsh toward Leslie. The past weeks, all she did was fight Lucy and Leslie over the drug issues Leslie had, without knowing Leslie started going to meetings to get clean, and hopefully stay that way for good this time. Lena didn’t show the support she should have or even a sliver of the compassion Lucy was full of.</p><p>“Leslie,” Lena said, swallowing a lump in her throat that failed to clear, “I apologize for not seeing and hearing your brave journey.”</p><p>Leslie shrugged a shoulder. “It’s cool.”</p><p>“Who is putting their walls up now?”</p><p>Leslie let out a laugh. “Bitch,” she replied with a smile and a shake of her head. “Alright, you got me. It kinda hurt when you lashed out at me, but I’ve forgiven you.”</p><p>“Sit,” Lena insisted, pointing at the chair, “let’s talk.”</p><p>“Aight,” Leslie sighed, plopping down. “Okay so, it all sort of began with me liking Lucy. After you found out I started using again, she visited and something in her eyes when she asked me what I’d done to myself just…fuck, it shattered my heart. I never wanted her to see me like that or to look at me like she was about to cry.”</p><p>
  <em>Lucy does have a soft heart. </em>
</p><p>Lena placed her hand on top of Leslie’s and ran her thumb over her knuckles. She felt Leslie squeeze her hand, but didn’t squeeze back.</p><p>“Luce asked me how my first meeting went,” Leslie continued while her eyes shone and her lashes grew wet. “Honestly, I hated it, but I wanted to fight my addiction, for her. And then she offered to accompany me to my meetings, which she has been doing unless the sun hasn’t gone down yet. The sun’s about to go down soon and she’ll be waiting for me there.”</p><p>“I see,” Lena whispered, retracting her hand. “You mustn’t keep a lady waiting,” she commented with a genuine smile. “I am proud of you, Leslie.”</p><p>“However,” Lena added, “if you hurt Lucy, I might have to break your neck.”</p><p>“Ouch,” Leslie laughed. “Fair enough.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>At the mansion, Reign stood in the living room with the others, save from Lucy who Lena now knew to have gone out to support Leslie. Six stacks of boxes surrounded Reign. She used her nails to open the first one and passed out shirts that read ‘adopt don’t shop.’</p><p>“Listen to me, my angels,” Reign said, glancing at Sarah and Zara, “the harming and killing of animals is no longer allowed.”</p><p>Lena arched a brow, pleased to hear the twins were finally told not to go there anymore and surprised as to why now, after a decade of Zara and Sarah doing whatever they wanted, no matter how horrific. But what truly grasped her attention were the clothes, for as far as it could be considered something wearable.</p><p>
  <em>I wouldn’t want to be caught dead in that.</em>
</p><p>Lena smiled to herself for a second before asking, “what is the deal with all of this?”</p><p>“I saw Kara’s Instagram,” Nia answered from where she sat at the bottom of the stairs. “She was telling people how the shelter needed money and she put up a couple of links, and the address of the shelter she works at.”</p><p>Lena pulled her phone from her pocket and tapped on the Instagram icon, though it was still a foreign tool to her. At the top half of her screen, she saw Kara with a smile on her face, hugging a Golden retriever.</p><p>“Pound sign,” Lena read underneath it, “FishFoundHisForeverHome.”</p><p>Nia chuckled. “That’s a hashtag,” she corrected, and it figured mortals changed the meaning of symbols.</p><p>Lena looked up. “You did this for my girlfriend?” she concluded with a frown, gesturing at the boxes.</p><p>“Why wouldn’t I?” Nia replied like it was meant to be obvious. “Kara’s my friend.”</p><p>Lena wanted to trust the teenage vampire was being genuine after she hung out with Kara alone before, and even stayed a night at Kara’s place without harming her, but Lena remained skeptical. In the end, Nia was a vampire and went behind her back to meet Kara. And for that, Lena believed in the possibility it was all an evil ploy, slowly dragged out to gain Kara’s trust and to try and fool Lena into thinking Kara was safe with Nia.</p><p>
  <em>I do not trust any of these bitches. </em>
</p><p>“There is more,” Reign announced, revealing a box larger than the others. “We shall be housing a pet from now on.”</p><p>“Hell yes,” Nia whispered, rubbing her hands together.</p><p>“Behold,” Reign said as she lifted the animal out of its box and held it up high, “our kitten.”</p><p>“Simba,” Nia coughed, covering her mouth with her fist.</p><p>The animal was black with green eyes and almost twice as big as Kara’s cat. It let out a sound between a roar and a mewl while wriggling in Reign’s hands.</p><p>Lena stared. “Reign,” she uttered without blinking, “that’s a panther.”</p><p>Reign held the cub close to her chest. “Yes, and?”</p><p>“Panthers are not pets,” Lena stated flatly.</p><p>“This one shall be a part of our family,” Reign insisted like the stubborn cunt she was. “My word is law in this household.”</p><p>Lena had to scoff at that. “Put that thing back where you found it,” she demanded, pointing her finger at the door.</p><p>Sheltering an animal was by far one of the worst ideas Reign ever had. Sarah and Zara obeyed their maker, but at the same time they were monsters who killed their fair share of animals, and there was no guarantee they would keep it together and leave that defenseless little cub alone.</p><p>“There they go again,” Nia mumbled, “bickering like parents.”</p><p>
  <em>Hush, you. </em>
</p><p>“Fine, the panther is not staying,” Reign huffed. “I’ll take him back to the zoo, where they keep him locked in a cage for the viewing pleasure of mortals and where they feed him the bare minimum to keep him alive,” she continued with a sigh, stepping out from behind the boxes. “The zoo, where he has no space to run around unlike our woods. Alas, he cannot be ours, so he must return to his imprisonment.”</p><p>Lena pinched the bridge of her nose. “You truly suck sometimes,” she uttered with a deep sigh. “Keep the bloody animal, though he better not cause any damage.”</p><p>“Yesssss,” Nia dragged out, holding out her arms. “Mine,” she punctuated, hissing at Sarah and Zara, who ducked under the table.</p><p>“My daughter’s pet,” Reign confirmed, fixing the others with a glare while she handed the panther to Nia.</p><p>“We want him,” Zara spoke. “Please, mother.”</p><p>“Yes,” Sarah chimed in. “Please, mother.”</p><p>“No,” Reign replied without pausing. “Nia named him. Simba is hers.”</p><p>“I… that,” Nia said, holding up a finger. “Simba is not…,” she whispered, curling her finger toward the palm of her hand. “It was a reference.”</p><p>Anna walked toward Nia. “The Lion King,” Anna uttered, looking into Nia’s eyes while her hand hovered above the panther’s head.</p><p>Nia spared a thin smile and a nod at the little girl.</p><p>Lena expected Gayle to say something, only to notice the youngest twins’ mother wasn’t around. She never thought the newest addition to the coven would leave her children behind, unsupervised. Not when Sarah and Zara thought Anna and Elsa were living dolls to play with.</p><p>Elsa approached Nia as well. “What are you going to name him?” the little vampire asked while she petted the panther.</p><p>“Hmmm,” Nia hummed, rolling her lips into her mouth. “How about Bagheera?”</p><p>Lena was lost in the shared excitement between Elsa, Anna, and Nia. She watched on as Nia let the youngest twins play with the panther while Lyra – Gayle’s human who nobody was allowed to kill by Reign’s orders – brought Anna and Elsa a cup of blood.</p><p>“Thank you, Lyra,” both of the girls said.</p><p>The human smiled down at them and wordlessly patted their head.</p><p>
  <em>I do not understand these new vampires. </em>
</p><p>Lena did prefer the vanilla behavior of Anna and Elsa over the possessed by a demon one of Sarah and Zara.</p><p>“Red and I got news, too,” Harley announced with a grin. “Guess what we found on the bottom of the ocean?”</p><p>Lena blinked. “You two went into the ocean?” she questioned, thinking it dumb at the thought of all the water they must have ingested.</p><p>“Yes,” Reign said, “they went to my vault in England.”</p><p>Harley revealed a tooth, big enough to cover both of her hands.</p><p>Lena arched a brow. “You fought a shark?”</p><p>“Megladon attacked us first,” Harley replied, shrugging a shoulder. “Gotta have a souvenir to make a necklace.”</p><p>“Don’t tell me you killed the last Megladon.”</p><p>Humans thought they had gone extinct, but as with many things, they were wrong. Rare species were forced into hiding due to the destructive nature of mortals. Lena saw it happen over the centuries, how humans hunted for trophies, and killed earth with their pollution. It was no wonder to her mother nature lashed out with viruses, tsunamis, and so on.</p><p>“Nah,” Harley shook her head, “the other one and the lil one got away.”</p><p>“I thought our kind was above killing animals,” Lena pointed out, glaring briefly at the twins, who were finally prohibited from doing so.</p><p>“Meggie attacked first,” Harley huffed, pocketing the tooth, “we did what we had to do.”</p><p>“And this had nothing to do with you two itching for a fight?”</p><p>“That giant dick had us vomiting blood,” Ivy said, “running through the ocean is not as simple as it sounds.”</p><p>“Yah,” Harley added, “and Iceland sucked.”</p><p>“Iceland?” Lena repeated with a frown. “I thought you went to England.”</p><p>Lena awaited an explanation, which she lost all interest in when Gayle entered the mansion with an unconscious human in her arms, and upon a closer look at the mortal's wavy brown locks, Lena noticed it was Imra, Kara’s best friend.</p><p>
  <em>I can hear her heart, which means she’s still alive. </em>
</p><p>Gayle moved up the stairs and slipped into her chambers, shadowed by Lena, and a split second later Nia appeared in the room as well. If this was Gayle’s definition of a surprise or a gift for the others, she had another thing coming because Lena would rip out her heart before letting her lay a finger on that mortal.</p><p>Lena watched on as Gayle put Imra down on her bed. “What are you doing with that human?” Lena questioned through narrowed eyes.</p><p>Looking the human over, Lena didn’t detect any bite marks she could see, although that didn’t mean there weren’t any under her clothes.</p><p>Gayle grabbed Lena and Nia by the arm and dragged them out into the hall, kicking the door shut.</p><p>“I never bit her if that is what you were wondering,” Gayle hushed while she blocked the entrance to her room with her body. “Imra is the woman I’ve been dating.”</p><p>
  <em>This watered-down version of a vampire is involved with Kara’s dearest friend?</em>
</p><p>Lena doubted no harm was done. “Why is she unconscious?” she asked, cracking her knuckles.</p><p>“Imra drank too much and passed out,” Gayle answered, shoulders sagging. “So I brought her here.”</p><p>“If you keep her here overnight, you’ll have to be careful during the day,” Lena cautioned, “she may question your reluctance to follow her outside.”</p><p>“She’ll be hungover in the morning. I won’t let her go anywhere until she sobers up.”</p><p>
  <em>I must protect this human from the others. Kara will be devastated if her friend dies. </em>
</p><p>Nia crossed her arms. “You really never bite humans, do you?” she commented with a scoff, still there and still a brat. “What would you do if you no longer had a blood source?”</p><p>“I told you Lyra is my familiar,” Gayle snipped at the incorrigible teenage vampire. “And if someday I no longer have a familiar, I’ll get blood from a blood bank or a hospital until I find a new familiar.”</p><p>“How close are you to Imra?” Lena wondered, no longer out of concern. “Are you ever tempted to drink her blood?”</p><p>“I do not owe anyone my life story. This interrogation and invasion of my privacy ends here.”</p><p>“I have one last question and then I’ll leave you be,” Lena promised, despite her urge to ask several and to not leave until she had an answer to each one. “Does the human know what you are?”</p><p>“Devoted, honest, and without a pulse?” Gayle replied evenly. “Yes, I told her. She is…processing.”</p><p>If Imra’s reaction to Gayle coming out was drinking herself into a near coma, Lena worried her future with Kara was bleak. While Imra and Kara weren’t one and the same human and each had their own mindset, they were best friends. Lena knew how mortals fled through coping mechanisms that at times were destructive when they couldn’t deal with something. And Gayle wasn’t even the kind of vampire who killed humans. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kara’s best friend knows what I am.</em>
</p><p>Imra promised Lena not to tell a soul, but Lena hated how that human found out before Kara did. Gayle made it appear easy to spill the secret and Gayle wasn’t even in love yet.</p><p>“Have you seen the news?” Kara questioned as she fetched a glass. “There was a reporter at the zoo, talking about missing animals,” she shared, twisting the cap off of the thermos Lena brought for her.</p><p>Lena lifted her own thermos to her mouth, sipping through a metal straw to keep droplets of blood from coating her lips. “Oh?” she replied, assuming Reign’s involvement, though to her knowledge Reign only took the panther cub.</p><p>“There’s no alcohol in this, right?” Kara checked while she poured herself a glass of the smoothie. “Or kiwi?”</p><p>
  <em>I have no desire to kill you. </em>
</p><p>“No to both,” Lena assured, “someone I know made this under my supervision.”</p><p>Kara took a sip and smacked her lips. “Mhmm, banana,” she whispered, drinking some more.</p><p>Lena observed the love of her life with a smile, wondering why she hadn’t brought her own thermos plus an extra one for Kara with her since the beginning. It would have avoided questions and a part of Lena’s seemingly unusual behavior. Now, she could drink blood in front of Kara, without Kara knowing. With each taste, Lena managed to soothe the burn in her throat that begged her to taste Kara instead.</p><p>Kara put her free hand on Lena’s knee. “Do you want a glass?”</p><p>“I prefer drinking out of my thermos,” Lena responded, tapping her fingertips against the metal, “it preserves the temperature of my drink.”</p><p>“The zoo lost a panther, two tigers, and all of their bears,” Kara shared. “I think someone wanted to set them free, which I support, but the zoo will just replace them and some animals were born in captivity and might not survive out in the wild, like the panther. He’s just a baby.”</p><p>
  <em>Reign…</em>
</p><p>Mister Jingles jumped onto the couch and pawed at Lena’s legs. He bumped his nose against her hand, sniffing, but with everything that happened today, Lena forgot to take catnip with her.</p><p>Kara reached for her remote, squint her eyes and let it go with an exhale. “How do you feel about playing a game?”</p><p>Lena arched a brow at her girlfriend. “A board game?” she questioned, not entirely certain how any of those worked.</p><p>Kara shook her head. “Not quite,” she replied as she got up.</p><p>Lena held her tongue while she listened to Kara’s footsteps padding into her bedroom. The idea of entertaining a game sounded mortal, though Lena supposed she could give it a try if it made Kara smile and kept her happy. It couldn’t be worse than Nia playing rock, paper, and scissors with humans to see in which order she should kill them.</p><p>Lena drank from her thermos, nearly emptying all of it through her metal straw. She felt sated enough to last through the night or even longer than that and yet Kara’s blood called out to her, like a siren luring Lena into the depths of the water.</p><p>“Tada,” Kara said as she emerged from her room, “Twister.”</p><p>“I’ve never played that game,” Lena admitted, setting her thermos aside on the coffee table. “Can you explain the rules to me, darling?”</p><p>“You’re kidding, right?” Kara chuckled while she crouched down and unpacked the game. “Everyone our age has played Twister at least once, just like we’ve all spun the bottle when we were young.”</p><p>
  <em>Honey, I am not quite thy age. </em>
</p><p>Kara put a white plastic carpet of sorts on the floor, decorated with four rows of large colored dots. One in green, one in yellow, one in blue, and the last one in red.</p><p>“Speaking of which,” Kara continued, so focused on what she was doing she didn’t see Lena frowning at her, “what was your first kiss like? Who was it with?”</p><p>Lena blinked, puzzled as to what that had to do with the game or with spinning a bottle. Humans were such odd creatures sometimes, and yet she was indubitably in love with this one.</p><p>
  <em>Life was rough when I was mortal. </em>
</p><p>“Her name was Veronica,” Lena answered, squeezing her hands into fists without allowing her nails to dig into her skin, lest she wished to spill her blood onto Kara’s couch.</p><p>Veronica’s hand was promised to a man, arranged by her parents because times were different then. But she didn’t love him and in her refusal to marry him, she packed her bags. Lena waited for her near the bridge to run away together. Unfortunately, Veronica was killed that night by the man she rejected.</p><p>A decade later when Lena became a vampire, she located that man and pulled his heart from his chest. After which she wiped out his entire lineage and his friends included. The only one she spared from her onslaught, however, was an infant and the child’s nanny.</p><p>“We were sixteen,” Lena remembered, “I fancied her and when her lips touched mine for the first time, I was too stunned to speak.”</p><p>Lena inhaled and exhaled, relaxing her fingers and her shoulders. “How was yours?” she questioned, although the past was of little to no value to her.</p><p>Kara climbed up to her feet and grasped her glass. “Are you still in touch with Veronica?” she queried, sipping from her smoothie.</p><p>“No,” Lena replied, eying the piece of garbage on the floor. “Shall we give this a try?”</p><p>“It’s easy,” Kara said, extending a hand, “come, I’ll show you.”</p><p>Lena sat down at the floor, studying the colors. There were no chess pawns or anything of the sorts unless they were meant to be the pieces in the game.</p><p>Kara bobbed her head at the square carton board with a circle of colors matching the ones on the plastic mat and an arrow in the middle. “Go ahead,” she prompted with a smile, “give it a spin.”</p><p>Lena reached for the arrow and gave it a slight tick with the tip of her finger. The thing spun around until the top of the arrow stopped on blue.</p><p>“Left foot blue,” Kara read, pointing at the plastic carpet, “but you might want to take off your shoes first.”</p><p>By the time Lena was at her fifth turn, she was crouched down with her left foot on yellow and her right on red, while her left hand was on blue and her right on the farthest red dot. She was positioned underneath Kara, whose right hand was on a blue circle between her legs, chests facing one another. </p><p>Lena felt she was in quite the precarious place with the ample view she got down Kara’s shirt. It was a good thing vampires didn’t sweat or else her palms might have slipped on the plastic, landing her on her ass.</p><p>“Right hand…,” Kara read, sticking out her tongue as she retracted her hand from the mat after putting her other hand down, “green.”</p><p>Lena saw it happening before it did. Kara stretched her right arm out, attempting to reach the green while her left hand was stuck on red. The criss-cross pattern caused her left foot to give way and sent her tumbling, taking Lena down with her. Kara laughed as she fell on top of Lena, tucking her hair behind her ear.</p><p>“I thought you would show me how it’s done,” Lena quipped, chuckling at her clumsy girlfriend.</p><p>“Pfft, this is totally how it’s played,” Kara replied, folding her arms on Lena’s chest, smiling down at her, “whoever falls first, wins.”</p><p>
  <em>By your definition, I won. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s lips curled upward. “Are you comfortable, darling?”</p><p>“Mhmm,” Kara hummed, “you’re a good pillow.”</p><p>Lena reached up to run her fingers through Kara’s hair, tuned in to the sound of her heartbeat and the way she breathed slowly at first and then a little bit faster when she gazed at Lena’s lips, before steadying her next inhale and exhale. Kara’s heart reminded Lena of hail tapping against the metal door of Leslie’s cellar as if it wanted to break in. She let Kara’s blonde locks slip between her fingers, feeling the softness of her hair while she inhaled her flowery shampoo.</p><p>Kara brought her face lower, closer to Lena’s, staring deep into her eyes with those gentle blues of her. Lena used to miss the sight of the sky during the day, but ever since Kara wormed her way into her life, she no longer had that feeling.</p><p>“I was wondering…,” Kara uttered, tracing the outline of Lena’s collarbone with the tip of her finger, “do you ever think about getting your own place?”</p><p>Lena’s idea of her own place was hiding away in a cave, although that grew boring, and not many vampires opted for a life alone. For cold beings, they did often travel in packs, sticking to a coven of their choice or of their creation.</p><p>“It may be too soon for us to live together, darling,” Lena responded with a chuckle.</p><p>Kara worked her jaw, cheeks tinged red. “I wasn’t…I didn’t,” she whispered, shifting, stilling when Lena wound her arms around her. “What I meant was, don’t you ever wish you had more privacy?”</p><p>
  <em>You have no idea. </em>
</p><p>Of course, Lena wanted the others at the mansion to fuck off more whenever she wanted to be alone. But privacy was hardly in a vampire’s dictionary when they heard each other whisper even if they were in different rooms, to no fault of their own.</p><p>“You’ve thought of us living together?” Kara asked, biting her lip, the one thing Lena wished she didn’t. “Because,” Kara added, “that’s what it sounded like when you said it would be too soon for that.”</p><p>Lena gave herself a pause, picking through her thoughts to choose her next words with more care. The truth was she couldn’t stop thinking about a future with Kara, though at the same time she wasn’t sure whether she should stay or go.</p><p>“Hypothetically speaking, yes,” Lena sighed, “but no matter what the future brings, I want you to remember something.”</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows creased together. “Remember what?” she queried, lacing their fingers together.</p><p>“I will love you forever,” Lena whispered, “even if someday you lose all of your teeth and need saving of running into poles every day.”</p><p>“Jerk,” Kara laughed, smacking Lena’s arm. “You’re terrible,” Kara uttered, smiling as Lena rolled her onto her back, swapping places.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena replied, waggling her eyebrows, “I’m the worst.”</p><p>Kara leaned up, pecking Lena’s lips. “There,” Kara said with a sigh, “now you can shut up.”</p><p>“Just as I was about to tell you how much I love you in every language I know…Oh well, c’est la vie, ma chérie (that’s life, my love).”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>“My little Bagheera,” Nia whispered as she held the cub in her arms and fed him through a bottle. “You were really thirsty, hm?”</p><p>Lucy stared at the two of them through the opening of Nia’s door. Behind her, Sarah and Zara ran down the stairs, playing with Anna and Elsa. It was no surprise to her how Reign did anything to keep the girls happy, including granting Nia’s wish for a pet.</p><p>Not dwelling on the sweet sight too long, Lucy walked on, toward Reign’s chambers, where she suspected the vampire had withdrawn herself.</p><p>Reign sat in the middle of her bed with tears in her eyes. No sound came out of her mouth, which she used to bite down on her arm.</p><p>
  <em>I am here, my dearest friend. </em>
</p><p>Wordlessly, Lucy closed the door behind her and leaped onto the bed, in front of Reign.</p><p>Lucy moved her hands, signing, “art thee well?”</p><p>Reign released her arm. “No,” she signed back while her skin healed from her bite, “I shall never get over the death of my daughter, no matter how many centuries pass. Ruby was mine to protect and I failed.”</p><p>“The panther?” Lucy questioned without moving her lips. “Memories?”</p><p>Reign shut her eyes and nodded.</p><p>Lucy touched her fingertips to Reign’s eyelids until she opened her eyes. “You were human then,” Lucy signed, placing her hand near Reign’s heart, “please stop tormenting yourself, Samantha.”</p><p>“That is no longer my name.”</p><p>Reign’s hands signed at such a rapid pace, Lucy almost couldn’t keep up to read it all, but what she did catch was pain, a never-ending cycle of Reign’s broken heart when she lost the only person in the world she ever truly loved.</p><p>Lucy curled up behind Reign, sucking her teeth when Reign buried her head in her chest and bit down on her clavicle to keep from screaming. Cold tears touched Lucy’s skin, one by one while she rubbed Reign’s back, wishing she could take away her suffering.</p><p>Reign grabbed Lucy’s wrists and pinned them down above her head as she pushed her onto the mattress, bracketing her hips with her legs. Lucy saw Reign’s eyes darken while Reign glanced at her lips, but times changed and they hadn’t been together in ages.</p><p>“No,” Lucy whispered now that she wasn’t in the easiest position to sign, “my heart is with Lesleanna.”</p><p>“We need not be monogamous,” Reign replied, softening her grip, “I can share you with the human.”</p><p>Lucy knew it would hurt Leslie if she were to become intimate with someone else, whether feelings were involved or not. She also knew Reign merely sought ways to distract herself, by seeking meaningless sex, something Lucy could no longer give her.</p><p>Lucy shook her wrists free. “I cannot be a part of this,” she uttered, reaching up to caress Reign’s cheek.</p><p>Reign caught Lucy’s fingers in a near-crushing hold. “Do not pity me,” Reign hissed, jumping from her bed to her door. She lifted her hands and signed, “I am sorry for your loss, too.”</p><p>Lucy’s eyes glazed over as she brought her index finger to her lips.</p><p>Reign crossed her finger over her heart and signed, “to the grave.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>~ Three can keep a secret if two of them are dead ~</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I know everybody on this island,” Kara sang along with Moana at the top of her lungs, whether her neighbors appreciated her to or not.</p><p>Kara was supposed to spend a portion of her evening boxing, but Imra called her earlier in the day to say she couldn’t because she had to talk to Gayle. As Imra’s best friend and someone who understood what it was like to be smitten, Kara fully supported Imra skipping training sessions with her to go chase happiness. It also helped Imra promised her pizza and ice cream later.</p><p>With her plans altered, Kara sat on her couch, wearing sweats and a shirt. She thought about texting Lena to ask if she wanted to come over, but it seemed a little last minute, and Lena’s place wasn’t around the block. Plus, some space to do other things wasn’t bad. Kara had plenty of fun playing twister with her girlfriend the other night. </p><p>Mid-song, Kara was cut off by a knock on her door. She paused the movie and got up to open the door, half expecting Imra or Lena, but it was neither of them.</p><p>Nia stood there, in the dim light of the hall, clad in all black as usual. Although this time she changed her skirt for leggings and her top for a hoodie. She wasn’t wearing any shoes or socks and her feet were covered in dirt. Her hair was in disarray with locks sticking out. One of them stuck to her mascara-covered cheeks.  She ducked her head, fingers plucking at her sleeves.</p><p>“Nia,” Kara said, blinking, “what are you doing here is everything-”</p><p>Nia shoved her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. “Can I come in?” she asked, looking up, giving Kara another glimpse of her mascara-smeared cheeks.</p><p>
  <em>If someone hurt her I will kick their ass. </em>
</p><p>“Of course, yes,” Kara replied, nodding as she stepped aside, “please.”</p><p>Kara didn’t grab Nia’s hand. Instead, she extended hers, palm upward, and when Nia’s cool fingers touched Kara’s, she led her to the bathroom and turned on the tap.</p><p>“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Kara whispered, dabbing a wet cloth at Nia’s cheeks.</p><p>“I feel…,” Nia replied, shaking her head, “confused.”</p><p>Kara tilted her head, brows furrowing. “Confused about what?”</p><p>“I’m here because I want to ask you something,” Nia confessed, “something I’ve been thinking about…a lot.”</p><p>“O-okay?”</p><p>“How do you know you like-like someone?” Nia asked, plucking at the skin next to her nails. “When is it more than a crush and how do you know it’s real? What is love, really?”</p><p>“I…that’s a, ah, good question.”</p><p>Kara scratched the back of her neck and scrunched her eyebrows. It sounded like the kind of thing someone would ask their big sister. That was what she would have done, but Nia came to her instead of to her family. Kara supposed she could get used to it, for when the time came Jamie would be of age, and see her as the cool aunt she could count on and trust.</p><p>“Everyone experiences love differently, so I can’t tell you what I’ll feel like for you, but I can tell you what it feels like to me. Or well, try to anyway. Okay, so, um, love…it’s like never wanting to share your cookies with anyone and then suddenly someone comes along and all you want to do is give them your cookies and watch them enjoy every bite. Love is to disagree sometimes, but meet in the middle or accept it for what it is because being with the other person means more to you than being told you’re right. Love is admitting when you’ve made a mistake, so you can fix the hole in the road and move on.”</p><p>“When I like someone, I look forward to hanging out with them again. But when I love someone, and I mean truly love someone, I look forward to the future with them there, by my side. Because when I love someone, when I’m in love with someone, I want more than occasionally doing fun stuff together.”</p><p>“I…I’m still confused,” Nia chuckled. “A little more now than I was ten minutes ago.”</p><p>“That’s fair enough,” Kara replied with a light laugh. “But I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she whispered, bringing her lips close to Nia’s ear, “nobody knows what they’re doing. We all kind of figure it out along the way.”</p><p>“And,” Kara added, chewing her lip, “it’s okay to cry.”</p><p>“I wasn’t crying,” Nia uttered with a scoff and a huff. “I don’t do tears. Tears are for…crybabies. I’m not supposed to feel this way, Kara. I’m not…like that.”</p><p>
  <em>We all cry sometimes. </em>
</p><p>Without another word, Kara hugged her arms around Nia, relieved nothing awful happened to the teenager. On the other hand, Kara wished she could help Nia more with all of her confused feelings, but love was complicated.</p><p>“Do you mind if I stick around for a bit?” Nia asked, pulling away from the embrace. “We could watch Moana together.”</p><p>Kara’s eyes widened. “How-”</p><p>“I heard you sing when I was at your door,” Nia explained with a smile, “and you left your tv on.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The blue clouds were overshadowed by a layer of grey, promising rain, and perhaps even thunder. A gush of wind carried leaves past the ocean of yellowed and green trees, brushing just hard enough to free a lock of Kara’s hair from where she tied it together, blowing it into her face, tickling her cheek. Rays of sunlight touched her skin, but the sun itself was nearly submerged in the darkened clouds, swallowed piece by piece, slipping away just like the afternoon did.</p><p>Kara was on her way to the mansion after Lena invited her over the phone. It was quite the hike and she was alone this time, but Lena told her about a path, which Kara easily found at the entrance of the woods. Her shoes trudged through the muddy road, discoloring her white sneakers. In hindsight, she should have known better and opted for a pair of boots.</p><p>The path appeared freshly dug because she hadn’t seen it before and the ground was uneven under her feet. From the shape of the sand it was as if it was turned over by hands, though that was ridiculous. She did figure it was recent and shoveled by a group of people. It was wide enough for two people to walk side by side or for someone to drive over it with a dirt bike, but not big enough for a car. The latter wasn’t supposed to enter the woods anyway.</p><p>Kara followed it as it curved around trees, glad to see those weren’t uprooted to create a straight path. Looking over her shoulder, she had no idea how deep into the woods she was, and if it wasn’t for the sandy road, it would have been impossible at this point to find her way out.</p><p>The woods were an oasis of sorts as Kara listened to birds chirping in the distance and inhaled the earthy smell of pine trees and herbs. While it was enjoyable, she liked it better when she didn’t have to walk alone, but she didn’t want to tire Lena by requesting she accompany her, and she was already getting closer to the mansion.</p><p>
  <em>Please don’t rain. I forgot my umbrella. </em>
</p><p>Kara hugged her arms around herself, gripping the sleeves of her hoodie as she chanced a glance at the sky. The grey clouds took over, draining the blue, but there were no raindrops yet.</p><p>Dropping her arms, Kara curled her fingers into fists and picked up a jogging pace. The muscles in her legs tightened and her breathing quickened. She inhaled through her nose as she ran, slowly exhaling through her mouth, again and again, until her pulse relaxed.</p><p>“Thank you, Thor,” Kara mused with a smile when she arrived at Lena’s place without getting soaked.</p><p>Kara stomped her feet, although there was no cleaning her shoes without water, and even then they were probably ruined for good. Sighing deeply, she lifted her fist to the door and knocked. It was odd there was no doorbell when they did have electricity, which she surmised from the chandelier in the living room. </p><p>A woman Kara hadn’t met before and hadn’t seen at the bonfire either opened the door. She had wavy amber blonde hair, which cascaded over her shoulders. Her right wrist was bandaged and her left arm was covered in a mirage of band-aids.</p><p>
  <em>What happened to her? Did she fall down the stairs?</em>
</p><p>“Hi,” Kara uttered, tearing her eyes away from the woman’s arms, “I’m Kara. I’m here to see Lena?”</p><p>“Lyra,” the woman replied, stepping aside, “you may enter, Kara.”</p><p>“My shoes,” Kara prompted, staring down at them, “they’re dirty.”</p><p>“Leave them by the door,” Lyra instructed, pointing at the mat.</p><p>Kara sighed softly as she entered the living room after taking off her shoes. Behind her, Lyra closed the door, and with that, shut out the sunlight. There were windows, but they were covered by plants on the outside in a way that didn’t allow even a sliver of the outside world in. If it wasn’t for the magnificent chandelier, layered by diamonds, and the torches on the walls, the mansion would be cast into total darkness.</p><p>Lyra paid no further attention to Kara as she went to sit in the armchair and stared at the window.</p><p>Kara opened her mouth to ask if she was okay when a woman descended the stairs. The closer she came, the more she resembled Lena, albeit with blonde hair and arguably a slightly younger façade. Kara guessed she was either Lena’s twin sister or younger sister, but related for sure. This time there was no way she had it wrong like she had it wrong with Sarah and Zara, who were Rey’s daughters and not Lena’s.</p><p>
  <em>She’s beautiful. </em>
</p><p>Kara was in love with Lena, positively so, but that didn’t mean she was blind to acknowledge a pretty face. And in her defense, the woman approaching her was possibly Lena’s identical twin sister. Unlike Lena in her leather jacket or a dress that gave away her rich cleavage, this woman was clad in an ivory white dress with ruffles and a matching headband as if she walked right out of the ’20s.</p><p>“You must be the woman Lena is so taken with,” the woman said as she took Kara’s hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. “I’m Lucy.”</p><p>Kara remembered Nia having mentioned Lucy in passing on the first night she came to this house. But for some reason back then, it seemed like Lena didn’t want Kara to meet Lucy.</p><p>“Lucy, hi,” Kara replied, retracting her hand, which she otherwise would have extended for a handshake. “I’m Kara. It’s nice to meet you.”</p><p>Lucy touched her palm to the pearl necklace around her neck. “The pleasure is entirely mine, dear.”</p><p>Another member of the household came up to them and whispered something into Lucy’s ear, too hushed for Kara to understand, but eavesdropping was impolite anyway. Lucy narrowed her eyes, nodding along to what the other woman told her.</p><p>Kara jumped when someone else grabbed her hand out of nowhere and pulled her away. She found herself in the kitchen, facing Harley, who she briefly met at the bonfire after she asked for an introduction.</p><p>“Have you had sex yet?” Harley asked, leaning onto the counter. “Lena knows how to make ya cum,” she announced with a wink and a devilish glint in her eyes.</p><p>Kara had no idea how to respond to such a direct question. It was private and it reminded her she hadn’t taken that step with Lena yet, though not out of a lack of interest. But the last part of what Harley said caught her attention the most. Lena had introduced Harley as one of her friends, though now it sounded like they used to be a bit more than that. Not that it mattered because past relationships were irrelevant.</p><p>“Harls,” Ivy purred, coming up behind Harley, kissing her neck, “behave.”</p><p>“What?” Harley shrugged, looping an arm around Ivy’s waist. “She ain’t our sister and someone’s gotta ask about the foursome.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh God, is Lena into orgies?</em>
</p><p>“Ignore them,” Nia interrupted, “horny is half of their personality.”</p><p>“Don’t listen to Gothic Barbie,” Ivy husked, running the back of her finger down Kara’s jaw, “it’s okay to live a little.”</p><p>“Yah,” Harley nodded, “you tell her, Red.”</p><p>“Besides,” Ivy added, “we never slept with-”</p><p>Nia waved her hands at the odd duo. “Begone, vultures,” the teenager shooed, “or else…”</p><p>Kara chuckled lightly when Ivy disappeared almost immediately while Harley stuck out her tongue first. They were kind of a lot, although Kara was positive that deep down, they had good intentions and probably joked to test her reaction. Maybe they wanted to find out how much she loved Lena or how loyal she was to her, or perhaps they were looking for something to gossip about later.</p><p>
  <em>I won’t let them get into my head. </em>
</p><p>“Thanks for the save,” Kara whispered to Nia, smiling. “Not that I needed one,” Kara added, averting her eyes upon seeing the knowing look in Nia’s eyes.</p><p>Kara peered around. Aside from hushed whispers, the mansion was mostly quiet, a little too quiet for her comfort. Lucy no longer stood in the living room and Harley and Ivy were nowhere to be seen either. The residents, just like the first time Kara was here, appeared to keep to themselves, in their respective rooms. She heard a thump upstairs, followed by some kind of growl.</p><p>“Kids,” Nia sighed, lifting her shoulders before dropping them, “they’re playing circus with their friends, even though I told them to keep it <em>down</em>.”</p><p>The noises stopped. Kara strained her ears, but the mansion fell into silence. Being careful what one wished for took a spooky turn almost as if they actually heard Nia all the way up there, which was impossible. Nia wasn’t some sort of telepath or anything, so Kara was sure it was a coincidence unless someone upstairs reprimanded the children.</p><p>“So, ah, where’s Lena?” Kara questioned, searching around, half expecting Lena to suddenly show up.</p><p>“I’ll show you,” Nia answered, lips curling into a smile. “But before I do, would you mind grabbing my makeup kit for me?” she questioned, batting her eyelashes. “I forgot it in Lena’s bathroom and she doesn’t appreciate me entering, but she won’t mind if you do.”</p><p>“Oh, um, sure,” Kara nodded as she lifted her foot onto the first step of the stairs. “Did you leave it next to her sink?”</p><p>Nia hummed and followed Kara up the stairs before slipping into her bedroom and shutting the door.</p><p>Kara gulped as her eyes met the hallway. Due to the lack of windows, it was no less creepy during the day than it was at night, but this time she knew there weren’t any ghosts. And she met the twins, so if she happened to see them again, she wasn’t going to faint this time.</p><p>
  <em>Deep breaths. There is nothing to fear. It’s just a house…in the woods…with no sunlight. </em>
</p><p>Tiptoeing for no clear reason, Kara made her way to Lena’s bedroom and opened the door. There was nobody in there and it still looked the same, though the sheets were replaced by red silk ones and a book rested on one of the pillows. Curiosity quickly took the upper hand. Kara approached the bed and glanced at the book.</p><p>
  <em>How to Instagram? Aww, that’s adorable. </em>
</p><p>Kara knew Lena installed that app just for her, which was incredibly sweet. She bit back a chuckle at the memory of Lena scrolling through her entire feed to like everything she posted. Kara had a similar idea, but alas her girlfriend only had one selfie on there.</p><p>Kara heard something in the bathroom right as she opened the door, kind of like water running. It turned out Nia was possibly the spawn of Satan when Kara laid eyes on a very naked and very wet Lena, standing in the shower.</p><p>“Oh God, Lena!” Kara shrieked, stumbling back, bumping against the frame of the door. “I didn’t know you were in here. Nia said…”</p><p>Kara’s eyes looked the sink over from top to bottom and from left to right, but there was no makeup kit.</p><p>“Relax, darling, you’re allowed to look,” Lena spoke while droplets of water slid past her luscious curves. “Unless you prefer joining me?”</p><p>“Jo-joining?” Kara repeated, swallowing. “You mean, get naked and get in there?”</p><p>Lena’s lips curled into a smile. “It’s more comfortable showering this way than it is dressed.”</p><p>
  <em>Evil tease. </em>
</p><p>“Right,” Kara nodded, her movements so fast her teeth clicked together.</p><p>Kara wondered if Lena and Nia plotted this together or if it was the teenager’s idea of fun and Lena decided to run with it, and let whatever happened unfold. Either way, Kara didn’t mind getting naked in front of her girlfriend. With a tug, she pulled her hair free.</p><p>She lifted her shirt over her head, aware of Lena’s eyes on her, finding it unfair she didn’t get to see Lena getting undressed. Kara got rid of her pants, her socks, and lastly her underwear. She took her time with each piece, smiling while Lena’s gaze lingered, and while Lena licked her lips the way Kara did when she had to miss baked goods for a day and finally got one the next.</p><p>
  <em>I’m naked in front of my girlfriend. Oh God, what if she doesn’t like what she sees?</em>
</p><p>Lena stepped to the edge of the shower. “You’ll shiver if you don’t join me under the hot water,” she uttered, which was probably true because it was rather chilly without clothes on, “unless you’ve changed your mind?”</p><p>“No, no!” Kara rushed out, willing her legs forward. “I want this.”</p><p>“Careful,” Lena cautioned, grasping one of Kara’s hands, helping her into the shower, “it’s slippery.”</p><p>Kara used her free hand to feel the water, retracting it with a slight wince. It was warmer than she was accustomed to, on the verge of scalding. Yet, Lena let it run down her body without any parts of her pale skin turning red.</p><p>
  <em>I thought I was the one who turns bathrooms into steams cabins. </em>
</p><p>Lena twisted the knob. She cupped her hands under the water, held them out, and asked, “Better?”</p><p>Kara stretched out her fingers and held them under the stream, exhaling when the temperature felt comfortable, right in the smack middle of lukewarm, and too hot. She joined Lena, stealing a quick kiss, sparing a smile.</p><p>“Did you tell Nia to trick me into entering your bathroom?” Kara wondered aloud.</p><p>“No,” Lena answered with an exhale, “I paid her not to let you enter.”</p><p>
  <em>My girlfriend didn’t want me here? Houston, do you copy? Because I don’t.</em>
</p><p>“Oh...,” Kara whispered, chewing the inside of her cheek.</p><p>“I knew she would take it as a challenge and do the opposite of what I asked,” Lena said with a smile, caressing Kara’s jaw, “which is what I wanted.”</p><p>Kara’s eyes lit up and she felt her heart thump against her ribcage because Lena confirmed she was very much wanted, and that made Kara feel loved.</p><p>“How did you know it would play out that way?” Kara questioned, smoothing her hair back. “What if Nia listened and kept me away from your room?”</p><p>“When you know someone long enough, you know what makes them tick.”</p><p>Kara nodded. She knew her sister pretty well, too. And now she knew Lena’s sister and her sister were both jerks sometimes, in a lovable way.</p><p>Lena squirted a coin-sized amount of soap onto the palm of her right hand. She set the bottle aside and touched Kara’s shoulders, fingers kneading, spreading the shower gel. Kara tipped her head back, moaning as the soreness she didn’t even know she had ebbed away with each gentle press of Lena’s hands.</p><p>
  <em>Don’t stop. </em>
</p><p>“Beautiful,” Lena whispered, lips brushing against Kara’s neck. “You’re quite…,” Lena said with an audible gasp as she moved her hands down the front of Kara’s body, “muscled.”</p><p>The water ran hot, but Kara’s cheeks did even more so. “I eat my weight sometimes,” she shared with a chuckle, “but I do work out a lot.”</p><p>Kara spun around, facing her girlfriend. She was in awe of Lena as she touched her curves with the tips of her fingers, inching up to palm Lena’s full breasts, thumbs stroking at her pebbled nipples. It felt surreal taking a shower with her girlfriend and Kara had to pinch herself to ensure it was real and not another one of her dreams taking her for a spin.</p><p>“Definitely real,” Kara concluded with a smile. “And I bet…,” she added, eyes flitting down to Lena’s lips, “this is, too.”</p><p>Kara’s hands flew up to Lena’s neck as their lips connected. It wasn’t the smoothest or sexiest contact. Their kiss didn’t resemble one underneath a waterfall like Kara saw in movies where it was all romantic and dreamy. Water wound up in Kara’s nose and then her mouth as she coughed while water pelted onto her skin. She reeled forward to clear her lungs, fist-pounding against her chest. And Lena laughed, wholly and warm while her eyes crinkled at the corners.</p><p>“Was that real enough for you, darling?” Lena questioned, biting back a smile, but even so, it was brilliant and bright, and matched beautifully with the spark in her eyes.</p><p>Kara charged at Lena, mouth grappling with hers. She took Lena’s lower lip between her teeth, nipping at her skin, and Kara felt Lena reacting to her, meeting her lips with the same amount of fever and longing. The tango of their tongues encouraged Kara to pick it up a notch. She touched the sides of Lena’s boobs and caressed her fingertips down to Lena’s thighs before moving her fingers up again, repeating that motion while Kara struggled for air in between kisses and allowing Lena the opportunity to breathe too, in equal measure. The entirety of it all sent a ripple of goosebumps down Kara’s arms, shuddering as Lena lowered her hands from her shoulder blades to the curve of her ass, holding her in place.</p><p>
  <em>God, I want to have sex with my girlfriend so badly I can feel my clit throbbing. </em>
</p><p>Kara pressed her thighs together, rubbing her legs in a desperate plea for friction while Lena licked into her mouth with the lung capacity of a swimmer because Kara, on the other hand, felt she was going to pass out if she didn’t take a proper minute to breathe soon. But God, it was worth it to be ravaged by the one person she couldn’t imagine ever saying no to. Taking a shower with Lena was more thrilling than getting on the back of a motorcycle with her or rolling down a hill on a bicycle whilst sitting on the steering wheel.</p><p>With each touch, no matter how minuscule or ghosted over her skin, Kara dreamt of a future where they would live together, and maybe, just maybe, marriage was in the cards for them. Whether Lena settled on a white dress, a suit, or something she picked up at Wal-Mart, Kara had no doubt she would stand out as she walked down the aisle. But Kara knew she had to tell her heart to slow down and give it time.</p><p>“What is it, love?” Lena asked when Kara chuckled, pulling away, breathing.</p><p>“I was thinking about us U-hauling someday,” Kara admitted with a blush, rubbing her hand up and down her arm, chewing her lip. “But I should probably give you a key to my apartment first. I mean if you’re okay with that, at least.”</p><p>Lena placed her hands on the back of Kara’s thighs. “Jump,” Lena whispered, lips brushing Kara’s ear, “trust me, jump.”</p><p>Kara wasn’t sure whether the shower was the safest place to do that, but she did trust in whatever Lena was up to, so she took the leap. Lena caught Kara, smiling at her as Kara wrapped her legs around Lena’s waist. Kara held on while Lena walked out of the shower, gasping when she wound up back-first on top of Lena’s bed.</p><p>Lena’s lips traveled from Kara’s belly button to the underside of her chin, leaving a trail of firework in their wake, with an unspoken promise of saving the best for last. Kara wove her fingers through Lena’s hair and tugged once, and then a second time until Lena gave in to her pull. Their lips collided, passionate and sweet, stifling Kara’s moan when Lena’s knee pressed against her hot center.</p><p>“Shh, darling,” Lena hushed, pecking Kara’s lips, “let’s slow down.”</p><p>Kara bit back a whine, taking it slower was the last thing she wanted right now, but she didn’t want to be pushy either. “Do you want to stop?” she asked, staring into Lena’s eyes in earnest, and if Lena said stop, Kara was ready to put her clothes back on and just talk instead.</p><p>
  <em>I love you, I love you, I love you. </em>
</p><p>Lena sighed. “I wish I didn’t have to,” she answered, tucking a lock of Kara’s hair behind her ear.</p><p>“I’m sensing a but,” Kara noted, running her hands up and down Lena’s arms.</p><p>Lena shut her eyes, just for a second or two before she reopened them. “I prefer we do this at your place when the time is right for both of us,” she said, glancing at her door, “and where privacy exists.”</p><p>Kara clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, frowning at the door, finding the thought of someone pressing their ear up against it to eavesdrop kind of odd because what kind of family wanted to hear their sister or friend having sex?</p><p>Lena followed Kara’s lingering eyes. “I am not the silent type,” Lena revealed, which didn’t help Kara’s predicament.</p><p>
  <em>I should get back in that shower and make it a cold one. </em>
</p><p>“That’s, ah, good to know,” Kara gulped, staring at Lena’s chest. “You do know this is torture, right?” Kara commented with a laugh.</p><p>“Unimaginably so,” Lena whispered, exhaling a deep sigh. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Kara. Be honest, did you put a spell on me?”</p><p>Something inside Kara’s stomach fluttered. “Oh, yes, how’d you know?” she replied, kissing Lena’s smiling lips. “I thought I hid my broom really well,” Kara added, poking her tongue out from between her teeth. “And unlike you, I dye my grey hairs.”</p><p>Lena gasped and chucked a pillow at Kara’s face. Out in the hall, Kara heard muted laughter, though it definitely sounded like Nia, and was quickly followed by others joining in.</p><p>“Privacy,” Lena mouthed, shaking her head.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara rushed into the office and tripped over her feet, but she caught herself by grabbing the chair just in time to keep her embarrassment to a minimum.</p><p>“Thank you for meeting up with me this late.”</p><p>Kara wasn’t usually at the shelter when it was nearly midnight, but for a good cause she was willing to make an exception and considering she had a day off tomorrow, she had time to sleep in as late as she wanted to. Eve asked her to help screen candidates and Eve was both her friend and her colleague, so Kara was happy to help, even at night.</p><p>“Of course,” Kara responded with a smile as she sorted the paperwork, taking the resume from the top. “You applied to work the night shift?”</p><p>“Yes,” the young woman confirmed, sparing a thin smile. “I’m nocturnal and I study during the day.”</p><p>Kara hummed while she skimmed through the resume. “It says here you study the occult,” she noted, raising a brow. “Why do you want to work at the shelter, Scylla?”</p><p>Kara figured the answer probably had something to do with the twenty-one-year-old wanting to gather money for her studies, much like Barney did. The position of the nightshift wasn’t easy to fill because those didn’t include fun things like walking the dogs or guiding people around who visited to adopt an animal. But the shelter needed someone to look over the cats and dogs at night, and phone the vet in case of an emergency.</p><p>“I want to work for an organization I believe in and this is a no-kill shelter, correct?”</p><p>“That’s right, we are,” Kara replied, smiling at the memory of her having the same reason to work at the shelter.</p><p>Kara wasn’t looking for someone with a stellar resume or any specific area of expertise. Anyone could work at the shelter because all they needed was a heart for animals. She used to be a waitress, who was now responsible for hiring someone.</p><p>“I’m willing to give you a chance,” Kara decided, extending her right hand. “Welcome on board, Scylla.”</p><p>Scylla reached out her gloved hand, clasping Kara’s.</p><p>“You have quite the grip,” Kara chuckled, pulling her hand free.</p><p>“Martial arts,” Scylla said, crossing one leg over the other, folding her hands onto her lap, “black belt.”</p><p>“Oh, really? Do you train much in your free time? I box in mine, with my best friend. She’s an instructor and she has helped me get better. Maybe you’d like to join me sometime?”</p><p>“That would be lovely, Kara.”</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows creased together. “How do you know my name?” she questioned, not recalling having shared it yet, though she should have probably started with that.</p><p>“You work at the shelter,” Scylla answered, staring into Kara’s eyes without blinking, “I know everyone’s name here.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucy waded through the woods, barefooted while the edge of her white nightgown swept over the leave-covered sand. She spread out her arms, basking in the light of the moon, though only a sliver presented itself tonight. Her hair flowed as she spun circles, smiling when her surroundings blurred into a black and white movie of her own, with brief glimpses of emerald, orange, and brown.</p><p>Lucy steadied her feet and cupped her left hand behind the shell of her ear. An owl hooted, squirrels climbed up trees, the wind blew past, crickets chirped, and if she listened in with more attention, she heard footsteps. The latter was the one she waited for, the one which kept her out in the open for the past hour.</p><p>“How did it go?” Lucy asked in a low frequency, clasping her hands behind her back.</p><p>Scylla appeared from behind a tree. “I’m in,” she whispered, lifting her chin, “I think she wants to be friends, she’s very…human.”</p><p>
  <em>Indeed she is. </em>
</p><p>Lucy nodded once. She met Kara and learned enough to know she brought out whatever humanity was left in Lena, and she picked up on Nia bonding with Kara as well. Lucy also knew her dearest companion befriended the peculiar human to the point where they established some type of trust.</p><p>“Thou have done well, child,” Lucy praised, regarding Scylla with a smile.</p><p>“I’m not a child,” Scylla replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “Where is Raelle?”</p><p>“Ah yes, thy companion,” Lucy hummed, unclasping her hands, touching the bark of the tree with her fingertips. “She is in Ireland and shall be back soon, as promised,” she assured the other vampire, which would happen once Raelle completed her task.</p><p>
  <em>No harm shall befall either one of them unless I wish otherwise.  </em>
</p><p>Lucy needed the artifacts she left there, in a vault. She would have gone there personally, alas she had no such time when she promised her beloved one to be there for her during her meetings, and she couldn’t risk Lesleanna falling apart in her absence.</p><p>Scylla took a step forward. “Will you teach me the ancient scripts?” she asked, lips curving ever slightly so upward.</p><p>Such things weren’t safe to pass on and even if Lucy was willing, Scylla was too immature a vampire to wield that kind of knowledge. Three decades was nowhere close to enough for a vampire to utter spells when even immortals ten times that old were too young. Amongst their coven, Reign and Lucy were the only ones with such power, although she was certain Lena had the potential to learn.</p><p>“The kiss of death is far too advanced for thee, little girl,” Lucy said, grasping Scylla’s chin between her thumb and her index finger, “if you wish to protect thy other half, I suggest you avoid fire.”</p><p>“Stop treating me like an infant,” Scylla hissed as she pulled away. “Raelle and I want a life of our own, somewhere near a beach, away from the coven. I don’t care about anyone except her and I may be a young vampire in your eyes, but I’d die for her.”</p><p>Lucy understood love and the sacrifices one was willing to make. She dug her nails into the palm of her left hand until it bled and extended her hand. It was a promise vampires were incapable of breaking; the highest form of trust.</p><p>“Keep an eye on Kara and I shall personally see to it thy wish is granted,” Lucy offered.</p><p>Scylla bit into her hand. “What makes this human so special?” she questioned while shaking Lucy’s hand, uniting their blood, sealing the bond.</p><p>“The more answers thou seek, the fewer answers thou shall find,” Lucy warned, tightening her grip. “Et sanguinem meum, et tua mea tibi est, promissionem habentes juramentum (with my blood and yours, my promise to you is sworn).”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The first thing that caught Lena’s eye was the fact the lights were out, all of them. Instead, candles and glow in the dark stars illuminated the living room of the apartment. The stickers were attached to the ceiling, a reminder of the night outside, and while it wasn’t as beautiful as the real stars, the effort was. A couple dozen of them were scattered, inches apart, with visibly less of them above the couch. And on the coffee table, candles were shaped into a heart, surrounded by rose petals.</p><p>The second thing Lena noticed was the music, coming from Kara’s cellphone, which appeared to be plugged into another device. The lovely notes of <em>‘the way you look tonight’</em> reached Lena’s ears while she closed her eyes for a moment, hugged her arms around herself, and swayed. They were a reminder of a time where she sat on a terrace, sipping blood from a teacup which was held up by the human she used to feed on through the sixties, the seventies, and the eighties. Back when Lena joined Lucy at night, to bask in the finer human creations.</p><p>The third thing that captured Lena’s attention was the soft feel of Kara’s hand in hers and the tug that followed. For a vampire, a human pull wasn’t strong enough, but Kara didn’t need to physically do that to lure Lena in, when her eyes or her smile alone held all the power to compel Lena into following Kara anywhere she wanted her to. As their bodies connected, Lena felt a warm feeling inside, and not in the biological sense because she always ran naturally cold.</p><p>
  <em>You make me feel human, darling. </em>
</p><p>Lena wasn’t entirely certain whether that was a positive or a negative aspect of their relationship, but as the warm sensation spread through her chest, a chill ran down her spine. Vampires weren’t supposed to be swept up in the current of human emotions beyond the basic ones on the surface. Ever since Kara ran down that hill at the park to chase after the mini-mortal, Lena shed tears and fell in love. The former was meant to be strictly impossible for immortals, and yet.</p><p>“I love the way you look tonight,” Kara said, biting back a smile that appeared anyway. “Both you and the song,” she clarified in typical human corny behavior.</p><p>“Fine you look,” Lena uttered when Kara eyed her as if she waited for her to say something. Lena exhaled, finding herself somewhat tongue-tied. “I meant you, um, look fine. You always do, truly. Evidently, obviously,” she explained, freeing up her hands to move them around as she spoke. “You’re very, ah, striking. And what you did here, with the candles and the, erm, shapes, is lovely. Absolutely lovely. Marvelous even, splendid, and-”</p><p>Lena stopped when Kara placed a singular finger against her lips.</p><p>“As much as I love hearing your voice,” Kara chuckled, “you sounded like you got carried away and were on the verge of swapping to another language.” Her eyebrows creased together while she dropped her hand. “Is everything okay, baby?”</p><p>“Of course,” Lena answered, plastering a smile onto her face, “everything is swell.”</p><p>“You just…,” Kara sighed and wrung her hands. “I’m not used to you tripping over your words or to you bouncing on your legs…If something was wrong, you’d tell me, right?”</p><p>
  <em>My legs aren’t standing still?</em>
</p><p>Lena glanced down at her feet, noted she indeed appeared to be in motion and stopped at once. “It must be nerves,” she reasoned with a muted laugh. “I…I don’t want to fail your expectations.”</p><p>“Oh, Lena,” Kara whispered, reaching out to hug her. “If this is about sex, I want you to know there’s no pressure whatsoever and my setting up a romantic night doesn’t mean I expect you to take that step with me.”</p><p>“And I also want you to know there’s no bar you’re supposed to live up to because my ex pretty much left that one on the floor,” Kara added with a chuckle.</p><p>Lena spared a genuine smile, remembering the idiot her unconventional family cleaned up in the woods, the night of the bonfire. “It wasn’t talking about sex,” she revealed, planting a kiss on the corner of Kara’s lips. “But it’s good to know where your mind is at,” Lena added with a wink as she untangled herself.</p><p>Lena opened the zipper of the purse she brought, where she kept her thermos. In her swift yet not gentle enough movement, the small metallic piece on top came loose. She tossed it in there, dreading Nia’s comment of butchering fashion as if she was supposed to give a damn.</p><p>Kara tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and bit her lip, cheeks flushed. “You’re not secretly sipping alcohol, are you?” she questioned, nose wrinkling while she eyed the thermos.</p><p>“It’s my liquid diet, darling,” Lena answered, taking a sip of the blood to soothe the ache in her throat.</p><p>But the desire to drink Kara’s blood remained, haunted by the memory of having tasted it once. Lena knew it was a mistake, but if she could go back in time somehow, she would do the same all over again. She was a vampire, which was a truth she couldn’t outrun. And Kara’s blood was divine, much better than the lukewarm O-neg Lena currently had to settle for.</p><p>“Oh, what does it taste like?” Kara asked, approaching. “Can I try it?”</p><p>
  <em>There is always a loophole, isn’t there?</em>
</p><p>Lena thought out her excuse to sell the fact Kara never caught her eating, lest she ruin her pockets again with popcorn. But Kara requesting a taste hadn’t crossed Lena’s mind, so she resorted to the only thing good enough to keep her girlfriend from insisting or asking even more questions.</p><p>“It might contain traces of kiwi,” Lena replied, shaking her head with a light chuckle. “Rey gets carried away with a mixer and wants me to have plenty of vitamins. That woman is a thorn in my eye, but I don’t have to tell you what family is like.”</p><p>The flavor in Lena’s mouth worsened and when she took another sip, she couldn’t swallow it down. She looked at Kara who was all innocent and clueless, and unaware of all the lies she was being fed. Lena hated herself for spinning a web of lies, but the alternative didn’t look too promising when Gayle drove her love interest to drink herself under the table. Lena couldn’t see into the future, couldn’t predict how Kara would react to the truth she one day had to spit out, and not knowing scared the hell out of Lena.</p><p>Lena forced the blood down her throat, shifted her focus toward Kara, and put the thermos away. They finally had privacy, free of the burden of a bunch of eavesdroppers, and Lena damn well wanted to make the most of it before she had to go.</p><p>“Where were we?” Lena hummed as her fingertips touched Kara’s.</p><p>“I’m assuming you’re talking about pre-awkward sex talk,” Kara replied, cheeks bright red. “Which means,” she whispered, leaning in, “you owe me a dance.”</p><p>Lena gasped when Kara’s warm lips touched the exposed skin of her neck. And just like that, Lena melted right into Kara’s fingertips, swept up into the moment as their mouths met with equal fire. Lena made good use of her tongue, exploring every crevice, internally smiling at Kara’s willingness to let her when Kara was deadly allergic to kiwi, and under the assumption, Lena might have consumed some.</p><p>Kara nipped at Lena’s lower lip before she pulled away with a devious smile on her face. “Are you coming?” Kara queried, crooking a finger as she walked backward to her bedroom.</p><p>Lena watched her dork of a human bump into the wall next to the door. “Oh, I’ll come,” she assured, voice raspy. “After you get there first,” she added with a smile and a lip bite.</p><p>
  <em>I can hear your pulse quickening, my beloved. </em>
</p><p>Lena didn’t mind the perk of knowing which buttons to press to make Kara’s heart race. With the luggage of struggles that came with dating a human, it was only fair there were plus sides as well. And while her fingers were burdened by inhuman strength, Lena was rather skilled with her tongue, which over the centuries a fair share of mortals and immortals alike bemoaned.</p><p>“I have something for you, by the way,” Kara announced when they walked into her bedroom together. “I brought it up last time and we didn’t talk about it much then, but I went on a limb,” she explained while she rummaged through her top drawer.</p><p>Lena moved to sit on Kara’s bed, folding her right leg over her left while she waited for the key Kara mentioned before, among other steps they could take together in the future. And as lovely as it all appeared, Lena wasn’t certain whether Kara would be a part of her life all that long.</p><p>“Here,” Kara uttered, holding out a key, “this is yours now.”</p><p>Lena accepted the sentimental symbol of their relationship with a pang to the chest, creating a hole where her heart was supposed to be. But she swallowed those feelings down and buried them as deep as she could; reminding herself she had to be stronger than the tears threatening to spill.</p><p>
  <em>Fucking breathe and get a grip. </em>
</p><p>“Thank you, darling,” Lena voiced with a smile. She put the key on the nightstand and leaned back on the palms of her hands. “I believe we have some catching up to do.”</p><p>Kara crossed her arms, grasped the hem of her shirt, and pulled it over her head. “We?” she mused, starting on the button of her pants.</p><p>“When you’re finished with those, you can take care of mine,” Lena all but purred, amused when Kara stripped faster.</p><p>Kara dropped her clothes onto the floor, save from her lingerie; a deep blue set that hugged her boobs and her ass, much to Lena’s liking as she spun her finger, smiling when Kara did a slow twirl for her. Lena had to hold back from giving those cheeks a slap, but heathens, she wanted to, so much she nearly caved. If she had her way, she would completely ravage Kara. Unfortunately, if she did, Lena could easily break every bone in Kara’s body, and she couldn’t kill someone whilst fucking, <em>again</em>.</p><p>Lena steered her mind away from memory lane and back to the present, where Kara climbed onto her lap and pushed her further onto the mattress.</p><p>Kara’s hands slid under Lena’s shirt, nails scraping at the expanse of her stomach, but then a switch flipped in Lena’s head and she promptly curled her fingers around Kara’s wrists. Lena eased her grip when Kara gasped, unsure if she hurt her or simply caught her by surprise.</p><p>“Darling, if you don’t take off my clothes soon, I’ll rip them off myself,” Lena warned, and it was meant to be genuine down to the last words, but Kara’s eyes darkened and she let out a moan as if she was ready to wait for Lena to try.</p><p>
  <em>I cannot return home nude. </em>
</p><p>Lena rolled Kara away and stood up, raising a brow while her fingertips touched her shirt. Going back to the mansion naked wasn’t an option, but nobody ever said she couldn’t borrow – and keep – some of Kara’s clothes. Under Kara’s intense stare, Lena ripped her shirt to shreds and not so gently took off her pants, smiling as Kara’s jaw dropped.</p><p>“Hmm, what on earth shall I ruin next?” Lena hummed aloud, licking her lips slow and sensual while Kara stopped breathing for a couple of seconds.</p><p>Lena pressed the tip of her index finger against Kara’s chest. “Move,” Lena ordered in a whisper, lifting her hand away once Kara positioned herself in the middle of her bed.</p><p>Tonight was about Kara. Lena wanted to make her feel good and while loud sounds weren’t kind on her ears, she was set on hearing Kara scream. In the past, Lena cared little for anything verbal in bed, but she hadn’t known Kara then. As a human, Lena had to be silent because her preferences were considered a sin, and as a vampire she didn’t have a relationship until now.</p><p>Lena kissed Kara’s covered sex before kissing her way up her chest, delighted with every shudder, gasp, and moan she evoked from her special human. Her fingers grasped the pillows, staying clear of Kara’s body, regardless of how badly Lena wanted to just take her and let go of everything that held her back.</p><p>“Lena,” Kara whimpered while she arched her back into the next kiss. “Please don’t tease too much, I’m so…,” she breathed, shuddering.</p><p>
  <em>Do humans not use foreplay anymore?</em>
</p><p>“So?” Lena prodded, needing to hear Kara say the word.</p><p>Kara gulped. “So…,” she uttered again, cheeks reddening. “Wet.”</p><p>Lena bit back a chuckle, fearing Kara might not receive it as positive when she couldn’t help but find Kara adorable. In bed – and pretty much in general as well – Lena wasn’t shy and while those she slept with were mainly bold, she didn’t mind a cute blushing bean.</p><p>“You can take off your underwear when you’re ready, darling,” Lena whispered, removing her fingers from the pillows to caress Kara’s lovely face.</p><p>“I’m ready,” Kara replied, swallowing while she reached down to get rid of her lingerie. “I want this, Lena. I want you.”</p><p>Lena pecked Kara’s lips, but when their chests met as she leaned in for more, she felt Kara shiver underneath her. Almost as if pulled by an invisible force, Lena backed away. The burn in her throat was bad and yet it was nothing compared to knowing she was cold, and therefore caused Kara to shudder.</p><p>“Would you be comfortable sitting on my face?” Lena pondered, listening to the thrumming sound of Kara’s heart.</p><p>“Y-yes,” Kara answered, releasing a shaky breath. “I think I’d like that,” she mumbled, smiling while she bit her lip. “But if you’re struggling to breathe, just squeeze my thighs or tap them, and I’ll get off.”</p><p>“I am counting on the latter, darling,” Lena quipped as she got down on her back. “You’d be surprised how much endurance I have.”</p><p>
  <em>I could eat you out for hours and not tire. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s thirst, on the other hand, was a pesky nuisance she had to ignore. Thankfully, she had the best distraction.</p><p>Kara swung her leg over Lena’s hips, gathered her hair in one hand, and leaned down. Warm supple lips brushed against Lena’s, followed by Kara’s tongue. Lena welcomed the touch, welcomed all of it as she opened up under Kara. It was soft and sweet, and passionate, and Lena felt her chest constricting before heat burned through her, luring her deeper into everything that was Kara. Lena matched the pace, her lips overlapped Kara’s again and again, while she wondered if it was possible for happiness to kill a vampire.</p><p>Lena released a shuddering breath in between kisses and she wanted to bite Kara, wanted a taste, but she forced her nature to shut up. Love had to prevail, had to be stronger than the hunger Lena felt, so she looked up at Kara who smiled down at her, radiating such trust, Lena couldn’t bring herself to lose control.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll just…,” Kara whispered, chewing her lip while she shifted. “Um, I’ve never actually, err, sat on someone’s face before?”</p><p>
  <em>I am a fool. </em>
</p><p>“Come here, darling,” Lena hushed while she guided Kara to lie down on her back, without touching her all that much. “We can try something else,” Lena suggested, pressing her lips to Kara’s inner thigh, “how does this feel?”</p><p>Kara grasped the sheets and parted her legs with the next kiss. “G-good,” she choked out, sucking in a sharp breath. “Don’t stop.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The stench of a burger and fries irritated Lena’s nose as she walked toward the cellar with a paper bag in hand. She hated how she felt sorry for Leslie, for the way she treated her lately, and therefore, she sought to make amends by bringing that unbearable human her favorite meal. Lena wished she hadn’t been so harsh in regards to Leslie’s drug problem, but it frustrated her to no end how that bloody mortal kept making the same mistakes, over and over, despite all of the times Lena tried to pull her out.</p><p>Lena’s heels clicked against the pavement, courtesy of Nia who helped her into a suit and insisted she complete her outfit with those. Shoes remained one of humans’ invented discomforts, although it was a necessary evil to keep people from gawking at a vampire’s bare feet. Lena’s throat burned as she walked past a woman and a young child, who should have been at home, in bed or mindlessly watching television or another screen, like the brain-dead zombies humans turned their young ones in for the past decade, give or take.</p><p>
  <em>Ignore the ache. I can feed from Leslie soon. </em>
</p><p>Lena picked up her pace enough to speed-walk, at least in the human sense. She hissed when a dog in the distance began to bark as if its life depended on it, joined in by another one. The duo forced her to run to the cellar before she ran over to them instead, to snap their necks and salvage her ears. And to make matters worse, an ambulance drove by, wailing as it went.</p><p>“Open up!” Lena shouted, grinding her teeth. “I brought food!”</p><p>“I’m not frickin deaf, mate,” Leslie muttered while she opened the locks, “good of you to drop by unannounced again, though.”</p><p>
  <em>It’ll be better once you stuff this disgusting meal down your throat and shut the fuck up.  </em>
</p><p>“I broke the screen of my phone,” Lena admitted with a sigh, “…again.”</p><p>
  <em>All I did was tap the glass before I threw it across the room. </em>
</p><p>Lena left out the part where she kept roughly a dozen spare cellular devices in her drawer, but she couldn’t be arsed to take out a new one just yet where she had to go through the steps such as setting the time. As if it made a bloody difference to a vampire which day it was. </p><p>“Mhmm fries,” Leslie sniffed, taking the bag from Lena’s hand. </p><p>Leslie set it down on the table while Lena entered. In the confined space, the smell was twice as bad as it was in the open air. The faster Leslie swallowed it all down, the better, but in the meantime, Lena’s hunger diminished to the point of the burning sensation evaporating.</p><p>“Hey, you’re bleeding,” Leslie noted with a gasp. She touched her fingertips to Lena’s right ear, gathering droplets of blood. “What the hell?” Leslie mumbled, staring at her fingers and then at Lena.</p><p>“Too much noise outside,” Lena explained, accepting the towel Leslie handed her, dabbing her ear clean.</p><p>Leslie sat down at the table and opened her beer. “You’re just the person I was hoping to see tonight,” she said while she unpacked her food from the bag, “I wanna talk to you.”</p><p>Lena stopped breathing to shut out the smell as much as she could. She stayed on the other side of the cellar, raising a brow. It was doubtful anyone ever looked forward to her appearing, except for Kara, who smiled and easily leaped into her arms. Then again, Kara didn’t know the truth and once she did, it was possible she would run the other way instead, scattering Lena’s heart as she went.</p><p>“How does someone become a vampire?” Leslie questioned, stabbing a fork into her fries. “I mean, I know it’s not when you bite a human, otherwise I’d have long been one by now.”</p><p>
  <em>This doesn’t concern a mortal. </em>
</p><p>Lena narrowed her eyes. “Why must you know this?” she replied, although she had a feeling she knew the answer already, and expecting a different outcome was futile.</p><p>“I want to be a vampire,” Leslie sighed, “so I can be with Lucy, forever.”</p><p>Lena scoffed at the thought of the human heartbreaker wanting to spend eternity with someone. Lucy claimed to love Leslie, and vice versa, but in a century or two, all of that could change. Aside from that, turning someone wasn’t Lena’s favorite pastime.</p><p>“I’ll be twenty-nine in a few months,” Leslie continued, taking a sip from her beer. “And I don’t want to age anymore because obviously Luce doesn’t, and I want to be with her.”</p><p>“You cannot be a vampire,” Lena uttered, eyes flitting around until she spotted the dog under the table. “He will be in danger.”</p><p>Leslie snorted. “Right, cuz Pepper getting so many kisses from Luce all the time is cuz she wants his blood,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Come on, Lena, I know the only vampires who’d do such a thing to a dog are the twins, and last I’ve heard, Reign said it’s no longer allowed and y’all have a panther now.”</p><p>Lena placed her hands on her hips, fingers tapping against the cotton fabric of her blouse. She never turned any of the humans she interacted with because she either fed of them for a couple of years or decades, or she killed them.</p><p>“You’re my blood source,” Lena commented at the top of her head.</p><p>“Yeah, but I’m not your property,” Leslie retorted, which was true. “My mind’s made up. All I need to know is the details,” she insisted with a shrug. “Besides,” she added, leaning back in her chair, “you owe me a favor, remember?”</p><p>Lena gritted her teeth. “I’d hardly call this a favor.”</p><p>
  <em>How dare she use this against me? </em>
</p><p>Promises were important and Lena did owe Leslie, although this was nowhere near anything Lena had in mind. She could stop using Leslie as a blood source and keep her fed still, or buy her whatever item caught her interest, but not this. Leslie was an addict and while she was clean now, there was no telling what she would be capable of as a vampire.</p><p>Lena averted her eyes, fearing exposure if Leslie became a vampire and failed to control herself. Killing humans happened, but the mess after had to be cleaned up, and massacring an entire town or city wasn’t allowed. Lena saw vampires crazy with bloodlust before, slaughtering families, leaving piles of bodies in their wake. Any immortal unveiling vampires to the world wound up destroyed by their own kind. It was an unwritten law, an important one.</p><p>Humans were allowed to know; on the condition they kept the secret. The last thing Lena needed was for this city to discover vampires weren’t a myth. With cellular devices and other mortal tools, word spread fast to the rest of the world. And a drug addict wasn’t Lena’s image of someone worthy of immortality.</p><p>“I’ve known you for half of my life,” Leslie reminisced. “I know what it’s like to be a vampire.”</p><p>Lena bit her tongue. Knowing a vampire and hearing about struggles didn’t in the least equal knowing how it felt, but she didn’t come here to pick a fight or engage in a pointless argument. Becoming a vampire opened the door to so much more than immortality.</p><p>“I’ll help you find another blood source,” Leslie offered. “I know just where to look.”</p><p>
  <em>You foolish mortal, you know nothing about anything. </em>
</p><p>Lena laughed, full and loud. “It was never about your blood,” she said with a shake of her head.</p><p>Leslie’s brows crinkled. “What…what do you mean?” she asked, frown deepening. “It was always about my blood.”</p><p>Lena reached for the spare chair, turned it around, swung her right leg over it, and folded her arms atop the back of the chair. “You were fourteen and you were alone,” she recalled, remembering the runaway human girl with nothing of value on her. “I saw the orphan I used to be and I needed an excuse to help you.”</p><p>“Wait, back up,” Leslie spluttered, dropping her fork as she held up her hands. “All this time you cared about me?”</p><p>“Blood was never difficult for me to come by. You needed to be wanted, to be useful.”</p><p>Leslie scoffed. “You really had me thinking I was helping you and now you’re telling me this was all one big mind fuck where you were actually helping me?” she uttered, wide-eyed. “Damn, woman, you could’ve just told me you have a heart.”</p><p>“These will be in the past if you turn,” Lena said while she picked up one of those pesky fries mortals liked so much. “The scent alone will repulse you.”</p><p>
  <em>Do not choose this cursed life. </em>
</p><p>“You…owe…me,” Leslie pointed out once more, snagging the fry from Lena’s fingers. “So,” Leslie sighed while she dipped the thing in mayonnaise, “how can I become a vampire?”</p><p>Lena knew her attempts to talk Leslie out of her decision were a losing game and in all fairness, she did owe the human for the help she provided to make Kara happy, when Leslie adopted Pepper and set up Instagram. Even befriending Kara helped, despite the fact Lena never asked for that part.</p><p>“You’ll need to shave your head for the process,” Lena whispered, and she tried to keep a straight face, but something about the way Leslie’s eyes shot wide open had her chuckling.</p><p>“What!?” Leslie replied, hands going up to her hair. “Oh…,” she uttered, staring at Lena, “you got jokes now.”</p><p>“<em>If</em> I turn you, I must bite you and feed you my blood on a night where the moon is full. Once it is done, I am to put you to rest under the light of the moon as you lay dying until you awaken, immortal.”</p><p>“Only when it’s a full moon?” Leslie scoffed, raising a brow. “You’re yanking my chain again, aren’t you? It’s not like I’m asking to be a werewolf.”</p><p>
  <em>How dare she bring mythological overgrown dogs into this? </em>
</p><p>“Vampires are creatures of the night,” Lena explained, calm and genuine. She got up and flipped the table, after ensuring the dog had moved, ruining the remains of the food. “You have three days left to say goodbye to your humanity and prepare for the venom in my blood to torture you until your transformation is complete, while you’ll be wishing for death.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The little bell above the door dinged as Kara entered the pizzeria. Not a single person was present, although she bet that had something to do with the Sawyers opening up an hour early. Kara sent a quick text to say she arrived and pocketed her phone.</p><p>Empty as it was, the air was full of flavor. Oregano and other delectable ingredients alike reached Kara’s nose. She licked her lips as she inhaled the scent, so much so she could almost taste the pizza she was bound to order any minute now.</p><p>“Hey, lil Danvers,” Maggie greeted when she popped out of the kitchen.</p><p>“Oh, hey, Maggie,” Kara replied, glancing at the chef’s hat atop Maggie’s head.</p><p>“Pick a booth, your pizza’s almost ready. And let me guess, hmm, club soda?”</p><p>Kara nodded, sparing a small smile as she picked out a spot near the window. Outside, she saw people passing by, some with children, and others with a dog. While she waited for her best friend to arrive, she propped her elbows up onto the table and sighed about the fact she couldn’t haul her girlfriend here. Lena was on some odd liquid diet and hadn’t even touched popcorn anymore when she did once before and seemed to enjoy the taste.</p><p>
  <em>I suppose she was doing me a favor the first time. </em>
</p><p>But even with that sort of reasoning, Kara didn’t comprehend why Lena was fine with eating those while she flat-out refused to try Kara’s pasta sauce when the latter actually meant something to her. She liked to tell herself she let it go, but the truth was it still stung. Lena’s favorite drink was a bloody Mary, so tomatoes obviously weren’t the issue. And the more Kara recycled the strange event in her head, the more confused she became.</p><p>The bell dinged again, fainter this time as Kara’s mind was elsewhere.</p><p>“Hey, babe,” Imra said with a radiant smile and a wave. “I ordered ahead, hope you don’t mind,” she winked as she plopped down opposite of Kara.</p><p>“Hey,” Kara replied, narrowing her eyes at her best friend. “I love you, but if there’s pineapple on my pizza, there will be hell to pay. Hell, I tell you.”</p><p>Imra let out a chuckle. “I come in peace,” she uttered, holding up her hands.</p><p>Maggie emerged from the kitchen not a moment too soon, carrying a plate in each hand. “Ah, my two favorite customers,” she mused while she set the food down. “I’ll be back with your drinks, on the house. Enjoy.”</p><p>Imra caught Maggie’s wrist. “You spoil us too much,” Imra uttered with a soft sigh, “when in fact, I should tip you for the flawless service you give us every time.”</p><p>“True, true,” Kara hummed, nodding while she inspected her pineapple-free pizza.</p><p>“Now,” Maggie said as she freed her wrist, “what kind of person would I be if I didn’t buy a pretty lady a drink?”</p><p>Imra smiled while her eyes sparkled. “The kind that’d understand I want to return the favor,” she replied, moving her index finger and middle finger up Maggie’s arm as if they were legs walking over her skin, all the while Imra bit her still smiling lip.</p><p>“Depends on the favor,” Maggie uttered, shrugging a shoulder. “I’m more of a giver.”</p><p>“That makes two of us, Mags.”</p><p>Kara’s mouth was agape, but she shook her head at the laughable thought of those two flirting with each other in a genuine sense. She knew both Imra and Maggie entertained a fun flirt from time to time, without it meaning anything. But the part that boggled Kara’s mind was how her best friend wasn’t single and therefore wouldn’t normally do such a thing.</p><p>
  <em>What’s up with people lately? My girlfriend is all secretive and my best friend popped off the radar for a while and now acts weird. </em>
</p><p>“So, erm,” Kara said once Maggie brought their drinks and left, “what’s new?”</p><p>Imra looked up. “I broke up with Gayle,” she answered, brushing her hair over her shoulder in one swift sweep.</p><p>Kara gasped. “You…but,” she uttered, blinking. “I thought you liked her.”</p><p>To the last of Kara’s memory, Imra was really into this mysterious woman who went by Gayle, who Kara hadn’t met yet. She remembered how fondly her best friend spoke of how she danced with Gayle at a club somewhere and how giddy she was to see her again. Kara really thought they got close to go on a double date with their respective girlfriends.</p><p>“Liked, yes,” Imra nodded, “past tense.”</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>“She had a secret that didn’t sit well with me and if I’m being honest, Gayle was bad news for me. I drank too much when I was with her and that isn’t me,” Imra explained with a deep sigh. She plucked a pineapple from her pizza and popped it into her mouth. “I told her I don’t want to see her anymore. There were a couple of deal breakers and in the end, the fact she has kids was one of them.”</p><p>“I only <em>live</em> once,” Imra added after a beat, “and I want to live my life with the right person, which she isn’t.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kara whispered, frowning. “You’ve made the right decision then,” she assured her best friend as she reached across the table to squeeze her hand, recalling how drunk Imra was the day Kelly moved in with Alex.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Kara questioned, chewing her lip. “Because I’m totally down for a sleepover with movies and ice cream.”</p><p>
  <em>I’m here for you, always. </em>
</p><p>Imra laughed. “I’m fine,” she replied, picking up a slice of her pizza. “I don’t need an intervention, truly.”</p><p>“Okay, but if you change your mind, you know where I live.”</p><p>Kara had plenty of emergency ice cream stockpiled in her freezer, chips and cookies in her cupboard, and Netflix was only a few clicks away for them to watch She-Ra together. In case those didn’t distract her best friend enough, she also had a karaoke set gathering dust somewhere, and a couple of board games.</p><p>“I’m going to order another Pepsi,” Imra said, emptying her glass in one go. “Do you want one?”</p><p>Kara rolled her lips into her mouth, managing a nod while her mind jumped to the part where Imra told her she had a bit of a drinking problem because of the woman who was clearly a bad influence on her. Pepsi wasn’t alcohol, thankfully, but Kara worried all the same due to how fast Imra downed her drink.</p><p>
  <em>I should spend more time with her, look out for her. </em>
</p><p>“How are things between you and Lena, by the way?” Imra asked while she waved her hand to get Maggie’s attention. “Does she still behave strange?”</p><p>“Things are going,” Kara hummed, torn between a smile because her girlfriend made her happy and a neutral face because her best friend just got out of a relationship. “She’s on a special diet,” Kara revealed, “so she does eat.”</p><p>Imra let out a sound between a scoff and a chuckle. “Does she still avoid daytime dates like the plague?”</p><p>“Um, yes,” Kara answered, taking a sip from her club soda. “Maybe she’s allergic to the sun,” she laughed to lighten the mood, but her best friend didn’t join in.</p><p>“Hey,” Maggie said when she approached their table. “What can I get you? Another pizza?”</p><p>Imra tore her gaze away from Kara, eyes flitting up to look at Maggie.</p><p>“Two Pepsis,” Imra answered, smiling while she stared Maggie up and down, “I’m parched.”</p><p>Maggie tapped her pen against the notepad in her hand. “And here I thought you waved me over because you missed me,” she quipped, holding Imra’s eyes.</p><p>Kara sat there, convinced if she were to become invisible, it wouldn’t make a difference. She had the feeling she missed something judging from the way Maggie and Imra interacted with one another.</p><p>“If I didn’t have your number already, I’d ask for it now,” Imra told Maggie. “However,” Imra added, turning in her seat so she fully faced the slightly older woman, “those aren’t the digits I want from you.”</p><p>
  <em>Oh my God, she didn’t. </em>
</p><p>Kara held her breath for Maggie to tell Imra to leave the pizzeria because she went too far in her teasing.</p><p>“Yeah?” Maggie questioned, tilting her head to the side, cheeks dimpling.</p><p>“Do you want to get a drink together sometime? Say, tomorrow, around nine?”</p><p>“Ten,” Maggie replied, turning around. “And I’m driving,” she called out over her shoulder.</p><p>Kara’s eyes were urgent and round. “What the fuck are you doing?” she uttered between a whisper and a hiss. “Did you just seriously ask Maggie out?”</p><p>Imra let out a sigh. “I’m moving on, Kara.”</p><p>Kara understood the importance of that, but one, it seemed a little too fast, and two, Maggie was Alex’s ex. And not just her sister’s ex-girlfriend, but her ex-fiancée. There had to be some kind of girl-code for that or a law somewhere, or literally anything to help her best friend gain some perspective. And if Imra wanted a rebound, she could pick any single man or woman she wanted, but not Maggie out of all people.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Alex sat on the hood of her blue Subaru with her arms loosely wrapped around Kelly, who stood between her legs. Just Like Heaven by The Cure played from the stereo, filtering through the half-open windows. They were parked onto an empty parking lot, east of route 90, in front of three buildings which were attached to one another, each appearing more abandoned than the last as if they hadn’t been open for business in years and were in desperate need of renovation.</p><p>The one on the left had a faded teacup printed onto the sign and one of its windows was missing. A singular chair rested against the door with one of its legs missing. On the right, undressed mannequins stood behind the windows, giving off a creepy Halloween-ish vibe. The building tucked in the middle didn’t have a sign or anything to even venture a guess at what it used to be. Its walls and windows were covered in graffiti art; a magnificent red dragon stabbed in the chest by a sword, breathing out fire. The details were phenomenal, each stroke precise and put there for a reason, or so Kara believed.  </p><p>Kara paced back and forth, chewing her lip as she went. It was dark out and about a quarter shy of eleven, so she was well on time and probably rushed a bit too much when she told her sister to step on it instead of driving like their Nan used to. But now that they were there, she wondered if she got the location right, even though she checked the gps on her phone and ignored Kelly’s readings on the map she took with.</p><p>Alex let out an exasperated sigh. “Are you sure she’s going to show up this time?” she questioned, gazing at Kara while her chin rested atop Kelly’s head.</p><p>“She had a migraine when we went to the movies,” Kara defended with a huff as she stopped walking. “It wasn’t her fault.”</p><p>“Your sister is right,” Kelly said, tapping Alex’s left arm, “nobody is unwell on purpose.”</p><p>“Okay, I’m not being fair,” Alex admitted with another sigh. “But I’m worried because I know nothing about her and I don’t think you know all that much about her either, Kara.”</p><p>Kara rolled her lips into her mouth. “You’ve spoken to Imra,” she concluded with a nod.</p><p>“Some,” Alex confirmed. “I know you don’t know what, if anything, she does for a living.”</p><p>“I see,” Kara mumbled, squeezing her fingers toward the palms of her hands. “Did she also tell you she…” She bit her tongue, counted to three in her head, and relaxed her fingers with an exhale.</p><p>
  <em>This is a date night, now is not the time to bring up Maggie. </em>
</p><p>Kara held on to a flicker of hope her best friend would realize a rebound wasn’t the answer, get a drink with Maggie, and leave it at that. The more she mulled it over, the more Kara figured Imra just wanted to talk to someone who had gone through plenty of breakups and understood what it was like to split up with someone because they didn’t agree about kids. Kara didn’t want children either, but she never bothered to date someone who did because she knew it was a lost cause.</p><p>Alex’s eyebrows creased together. “Tell me what?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Kara replied with a shake of her head. “Just, err, nothing. It’s not important right now.”</p><p>Kara checked her phone, but there were no messages. Lena arranged this date – it was her idea to begin with because she felt bad for canceling on their first double date and wanted to make amends – so Kara expected her any minute. Yet…a bout of uncertainty twisted itself in her stomach, dreading the possibility of Lena calling to say she wasn’t going to make it and that they drove all the way out here for nothing. And Kara hated that feeling, hated how she doubted her girlfriend, no matter how short-lived.</p><p>Kara finally had a fresh shot at a serious relationship, something she didn’t think possible after her last one with her toxic ex ended. But what she had with Lena was real and now that Lena had a key to her apartment, Kara felt they were one step closer to living together.</p><p>Tires screeched to a halt on the pavement on Kara’s right. She snapped her head in its direction, smiling when she saw Lena parking a motorcycle. For a split second, Kara felt tempted to point her finger at her sister and tell her, ‘I told you so.’</p><p>“Hello, my love,” Lena spoke, kissing Kara on the cheek.</p><p>“Hii,” Kara replied, beaming, “I’m so happy you’re here.”</p><p>“Alex, Kelly,” Lena addressed with a polite smile and a nod in their direction, “we meet again.”</p><p>“It’s lovely seeing you, Lena,” Kelly responded, smiling while she extended her hand.</p><p>Unlike the night of the bonfire, Lena shook Kelly’s hand and then Alex’s, while she still had her gloves on. But Kara was happy seeing her girlfriend didn’t get on a motorcycle without the proper gear this time, although Lena’s gloves were thin, kind of like those barely suited for autumn.</p><p>“Neat bike you got there,” Alex commented, squinting her eyes at the parked motorcycle. “Is that a Kawasaki Ninja?” she asked, snapping her gaze back to Lena, brows raised.</p><p>“Inline-four engine,” Lena replied, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. “If you want, you can take her for a spin sometime.”</p><p>“No way,” Alex whispered, mouth agape. “Aren’t those banned from the road?”</p><p>
  <em>Lena wouldn’t break the law. She wouldn’t. No, my sister has it all wrong. </em>
</p><p>“You know your motorcycles,” Lena praised Alex. “And it is illegal in many places, yes,” Lena answered, “though I happen to have a permit.”</p><p>“What’d you do, sleep with a judge?”</p><p>“Alex!” Kara interrupted, jabbing her elbow in her sister’s ribs. “That’s rude.”</p><p>Lena took Kara’s right hand in hers and lifted it to her lips. “I would never,” Lena spoke with more venom than Kara ever detected in her voice before. A split second later, Lena smiled at Kara and kissed her knuckles with a soft, “I love you.”</p><p>Kara’s heart swooned. “I love you, too,” she returned the sentiment without missing a beat.</p><p>
  <em>I knew she wouldn’t do anything terrible. Lena is far too kind for that. </em>
</p><p>“So, ah,” Kara uttered, peering around, “where are we going?”</p><p>“We’re already here, darling,” Lena answered. She pointed at the graffiti-covered building and revealed a set of keys. “Shall we?”</p><p>
  <em>If this is some kind of escape room, Alex is going to love it. </em>
</p><p>Kara couldn’t imagine much else being in there unless it was some sort of bar she never heard of, although if that were the case, then surely there would be music. Her next best guess was that it was a poker room or something else involving cards.</p><p>“My friends own this place, for recreational purposes,” Lena explained while she turned the key in the lock. “There may be some dust inside, though I did clean up some the other night when I checked the stock.”</p><p>It was pitch-black inside until Lena flicked a switch and suddenly a rainbow of lights lit up the space. To the left, there was a bar with a handful of high chairs. But more importantly, on the right, there were eight bowling alleys, each with their own screen and booth.</p><p>Kara gasped while she stared at the wall where it nearly met the ceiling, spotting a purple object, about the size of her head, stuck there.</p><p>“Is that…a bowling ball embedded in the wall?” Kelly questioned, frowning.</p><p>“Harley decorated it that way,” Lena answered with a tight-lipped smile. “She’s quite into sports.”</p><p>
  <em>How on earth did she get it in there?</em>
</p><p>Kara guessed a ladder was used to reach that height, but even so, it was odd how it was just stuck in there as if it was slammed in there by brutal force. Unless, of course, it wasn’t a real bowling ball and just a fake one taped to the wall somehow or attached with nails.</p><p>“There are shoes on the shelves, next to the bar,” Lena explained while she bobbed her head in that direction. “And by all means, feel free to help yourselves to anything you’d like.”</p><p>Kara couldn’t fight back the smile on her face if she tried. Lena didn’t know it yet, but from now on, she was the official double dates planner because this was better than going to the movies or playing Pictionary. Kara couldn’t believe Lena hadn’t mentioned this place before when her friend, who lived in the same mansion as her, owned the place, or at least partially. This kind of information was definitely on a need-to-know basis.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to take off your gloves?” Kara wondered while she sat down next to her girlfriend, untying her shoes.</p><p>“I ran out of time to dissolve my nail polish,” Lena smiled, “and Nia used too much glitter for my taste.”</p><p>“You know you have to take them off now to show me, don’t you?”</p><p>“Curiosity killed the cat, darling,” Lena chuckled, but Kara didn’t even have to pout because Lena already started to remove her gloves.</p><p>Lena’s nails were painted silver and they were definitely too sparkly. It was kind of tacky, but Lena’s beauty made up for that. And none of it touched her skin, so it wasn’t done sloppily either.</p><p>“It’s not too bad,” Kara shrugged as she got up. “It matches the grey in your hair,” she added while she ran in the bowling shoes.</p><p>
  <em>I should have said that before I changed shoes. Now I’m slower than my Nan used to be. </em>
</p><p>Lena guffawed. “Thin fucking ice, my love,” she replied and not even three seconds later, she had her arms wrapped around Kara from behind. “Prepare thy final words,” Lena whispered in Kara’s ear.</p><p>Kara laughed and squirmed, but her girlfriend was too strong to escape. She wriggled more, realizing Lena wasn’t planning on budging as much as an inch.</p><p>“Aww,” Kelly said, holding a hand to her heart, “you two are sweet. I remember when Alex and I were like this.”</p><p>“Were?” Kara scoffed, lifting a brow. “You two are like peanut butter and jelly.”</p><p>Alex popped up from behind the bar with a bottle of scotch in one hand and a glass in the other. “All that’s missing is music,” she said while she set the glass down. “Can you fix that, babe?”</p><p>“Already ahead of you, babe,” Kelly replied, swiping her finger across the screen of her phone. “How about the eighties?”</p><p>“Like you need to ask.”</p><p>Kelly smiled. “Eighties it is.”</p><p>“Ooh, ooh!” Kara exclaimed. “Play Sweet Child O’ Mine.”</p><p>Kara folded her hands together and batted her eyelashes at her sister in law until the familiar melody reached her ears. Personally, she was a nineties’ kid, but growing up, she listened to plenty of songs from the eighties with her sister, who claimed they had some of the best bangers ever invented in the history of music.</p><p>“So, Lena,” Alex said when she finally got around changing shoes, “what kind of job do you have?”</p><p>
  <em>I should know this. </em>
</p><p>Kara bit the inside of her cheek. She knew Lena had a habit of being a closed book, to the point of frustration, although Kara had resided herself to the fact she ought to give her girlfriend time. And in her opinion, Lena made progress opening up about things. But still, it tickled Kara in the wrong way she didn’t have the answer to that question.</p><p>“I am currently teaching linguistics and history,” Lena declared, “to my homeschooled siblings.”</p><p>“Lena is fluent in a number of languages,” Kara chimed in, pleased to learn what kind of work her girlfriend did. “She’s really smart.”</p><p>
  <em>Why did she keep this to herself before? I think it’s sweet she helps her sisters. </em>
</p><p>“You’re a teacher then,” Alex noted. “How many siblings do you have?”</p><p>“Too many to salvage my sanity.”</p><p>Alex huffed out a laugh. “Siblings can be a nuisance,” she nodded, lifting up her shoulders when Kara crossed her arms.</p><p>“I’d rather trade my brother for a sister,” Kelly commented.</p><p>Kara raised her hand as high as she could. “I volunteer!”</p><p>After a brief debate of which one of them had the worst sibling – not Alex because she had a sweet little sister who loved her very much and helped her with Jamie – Kara went behind the bar to score club soda and any snacks she could possibly find as an appetizer before the game. She found multiple crates, filled with all sorts of drinks, but not an empty bottle in sight as if it was all recently put there, or someone took the glass away to recycle it all.</p><p>
  <em>Lena does care about the environment. She even refused a plastic cup at the bonfire and we spent hours there. </em>
</p><p>“We should split up in two teams,” Alex suggested, “Kelly and I, against you two.”</p><p>“But…,” Kara uttered with a frown, “a team is supposed to have a minimum of four players and there are four of us.”</p><p>“If we put ourselves on the board twice, we can split up. We can use our first name and our last name,” Alex explained as she walked toward the fourth alley. “You and Lena can play on the third and whichever team gets the highest points in total, wins.”</p><p>“You don’t have to go along with this,” Kara whispered quietly to her girlfriend. “Alex is competitive, which was fun when we were on the same team when we were younger and won most of the time, but we don’t have to turn tonight into a competition.”</p><p>“I don’t mind friendly competition,” Lena said while she strutted toward the third bowling alley. “Game on, Alex.”</p><p>“You’re going down, Lena,” Alex declared.</p><p>Dragging her feet, Kara moved over to the computer to insert her name. She started with her first name, but by the time she got around her last name, Alex had already entered both on her end. With a sigh, Kara opted for ‘little Danvers’ and waited for Lena to type in her last name to complete their team.</p><p>“Pendragon,” Kara read. “Is that your family name?”</p><p>Lena sucked in a breath. “It was my mother’s,” she answered, voice low and barely audible.</p><p>“Pendragon,” Kara repeated, quieter. “Pen…dragon. The graffiti,” she uttered, blinking, gazing at the entrance for a second. “Was that you? The dragon with the sword through its chest?”</p><p>“Not a sword, a pen, actually.”</p><p>“It’s incredible,” Kara whispered, in awe of her girlfriend.</p><p>Lena’s lips curled upward. “Thank you, darling,” she sighed softly. “She was an amazing woman.”</p><p>“I’m sure she was, seeing how you turned out to be,” Kara replied, rubbing her girlfriend’s back. “I think she’d be proud of you.”</p><p>Lena's smile fell and she mumbled something in a language Kara didn’t understand. Kara couldn’t make out any of the words, but Lena’s voice sounded dejected, forlorn somehow. And Kara didn’t need verbal communication to understand emotions. Lena had a look in her eyes as if she was there and not there at the same time, and in person she likely was, but her mind was elsewhere. Kara assumed Lena thought of her past, of something that hurt her.</p><p>“I should get my head in the game,” Lena murmured.</p><p>“High school musical,” Kara smiled.</p><p>Lena arched a brow. “Pardon?”</p><p>Alex cleared her throat. “Are you two ready to be crushed by the dream team?”</p><p>“Yes,” Kara answered, cracking her knuckles, “the winning team is ready.”</p><p>Kara knew her sister was a decent bowler who always ranked somewhere in the top three, but she wasn’t too shabby at it herself. She never saw Lena play before and had no idea if she was any good, although Kara guessed it wasn’t her girlfriend’s first time, considering she had keys to this place. And Kara never saw Kelly playing either, so she was a wild card, too, which meant Kara had a fair shot of winning with Lena and denting Alex’s pride.</p><p>“Care to make it interesting?” Alex suggested while her name popped up first on her board. “We could bet fifty dollars.”</p><p>Kara gasped. “Fifty?” she repeated, working her jaw.</p><p>Lena shook her head, chuckling. “Is that the best you can do?”</p><p>“Okay, top dogs,” Kelly cut in, “let’s all take a beat and remember we’re here to have fun.”</p><p>
  <em>Yes, you tell ‘em. </em>
</p><p>“What’s a game night without a little competition?” Alex mused.</p><p>Kara groaned because it was meant to be date night and while it was lovely their first double date included bowling, she didn’t come here to find out who the alpha was. Plus, Alex hated losing and she didn’t want to drive home in the backseat of miss grumpy.</p><p>“Winner chooses our next activity,” Lena offered, and that actually didn’t sound bad to Kara.</p><p>Alex reached out her hand. “Lunch it is.”</p><p>Lena turned her back. “Hit me with your best shot,” she dared Alex.</p><p>“Prepare to eat dust, Lena,” Alex replied, flexing her arm while she selected a bowling ball, “because I’m about to land the dream team a strike.”</p><p>“You got this, babe,” Kelly cheered, holding up her thumb.</p><p>“Gutter, gutter, gutter,” Kara chanted, smiling when her sister glared at her. “Oh, look, is that Kelly taking off her shirt?”</p><p>Alex scoffed, but her eyes traveled toward her girlfriend anyway.</p><p>Lena chortled. “How do you expect to keep that ball straight when you can’t even think straight?”</p><p>“Oh, so it’s dodge ball now, hm?” Alex laughed. “Watch and learn,” she said while she ran a few steps with the ball in her hand, halted in front of the stripe, swung the bowling ball back and let it go.</p><p>Kara crossed her fingers for that gutter, but then the ball hit the pins smack in the middle and took them all down.</p><p>“And that, ladies,” Alex grinned, holding up both of her hands in rock and roll motion, “is what they call a strike.”</p><p>
  <em>Or beginner’s luck. </em>
</p><p>“Solid throw,” Lena nodded, raising her right hand.</p><p>Alex moved forward and high-fived Lena with a, “your move.”</p><p>Kara sat down in the booth, smiling at the interaction between her girlfriend and her sister, two of the most important people in her life. Seeing them get along was all Kara wanted and she hoped tonight was the first stepping stone for a friendship between Alex and Lena.</p><p>“Nice job, babe,” Kelly praised Alex, pecking her lips.</p><p>By the third round, Lena was on a streak of nothing but strikes, and Kara only managed to throw one, but she hadn’t thrown anything in the gutter yet. Meanwhile, Alex was a strike behind and Kelly didn’t hit the spare she had to knock over, which made their total so far significantly lower than Lena and Kara’s.</p><p>“Damn it,” Alex muttered, running a hand through her hair. “You’re pretty good at this, Lena.”</p><p>“You’re not so bad yourself, Alex.”</p><p>“Maybe we should pair up with each other instead of these losers,” Alex suggested with a chuckle while she pointed at Kelly and Kara. Ignoring their protests, Alex added, “we’d make a great team.”</p><p>“That we would,” Lena bemoaned with a nod. “The night is still young…”</p><p>“We could abandon them for the next game,” Alex filled in, smiling. “I like the way you think, Lena.”</p><p>“They say great minds think alike.”</p><p>“They do,” Alex hummed. “Were you serious earlier, by the way? About how I can take your motorcycle for a spin sometime?”</p><p>“Absolutely,” Lena answered, sparing a smile. “On the condition you have a license to drive, of course.”</p><p>“Wow,” Alex breathed out. “You’re the coolest person my sister’s ever dated. I might just approve of you.”</p><p>Kara was too busy melting into a puddle to care about both her sister and her girlfriend teasing to swap her out and team her up with Kelly. Even if she didn’t get to bowl at all, Kara would be perfectly happy just observing Lena building a bridge with Alex.</p><p>Kelly slid in the booth next to Kara. “Someone’s smiley tonight,” Kelly noted in a whisper.</p><p>“Yeah, I am,” Kara sighed out, grasping Kelly’s hand, squeezing softly. “This is…,” Kara said quietly while she smiled some more, “it’s perfect.”</p><p> </p><p><em>♪ </em><em>Sweet dreams are made of this</em> <em>♪</em></p><p>
  <em>♪ </em>
  <em>Who am I to disagree?</em>
  <em> ♪</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>If Lena wished to get lost in a book, she had to snap someone’s neck first. Grunts and kicks came from downstairs almost as if each blow landed on her door rather than on whatever it was that took the brunt of it, or whoever. She clenched her jaw and the pages ripped in her hands. The hinges of her door gave up when she slammed it open, sending the thing flying about a foot or two through the air before it fell out in the hall.</p><p>
  <em>Beware, the demon who dares to disturb me in these trying hours. </em>
</p><p>Lena dragged her feet down the steps, all the way to the living room where the sounds were the loudest. The daytime was sluggish enough without someone in the household taking out their rage, although admittedly, that person was her nine times out of ten. But today, everyone remained home to sit out the daylight, which meant she had to kiss her peace and quiet goodbye.</p><p>Heathens, it was only morning, hardly eight a.m., so Lena was stuck indoors for another twelve hours. The cellar was no longer an alternative since Leslie became a vampire and went stir-crazy while she struggled to adapt. Lena warned that asshole, but did she listen? No, of course not. She told Leslie the transformation hurt and fuck did she scream her lungs out, but Leslie made her decision, and now that bitch had to spend all day in a confined space with nothing more than refrigerated blood and a dog her strength didn’t allow her to pet.</p><p>“What the hell is going on down here?” Lena demanded as she rounded the corner. “Well?”</p><p>“Imra doesn’t want to see me anymore,” Gayle shared while she punched her fist through the brick Lyra held between her hands, “she doesn’t accept the fact I turned my children into vampires.”</p><p>“Any mother would have done the same in your shoes,” Reign spoke, placing a hand on the younger vampire’s shoulder. “You made a decision as their caretaker.”</p><p>Lena wasn’t a mother, but she wouldn’t have done that if she had a child. Immortality was too big a burden for such little ones and if something happened to Gayle, her children would be stuck without their mother for eternity unless they died as well. Anna and Elsa were sentenced to death and their mother didn’t even realize she did that to them. She may as well have killed them, permanently.</p><p>Lena held her tongue, however, aware such opinions resulted in backlash from Reign, who defended and supported Gayle’s choice.</p><p>“I told her my secret and she bolted,” Gayle scoffed. “Humans suck,” she muttered on, brushing the debris off of her hands. “They’re all hot one moment and cold the next. How hard is it to pick an effin’ emotion already? You’d think not biting humans would help them see I’m not a monster, but no, suddenly I’m a freak.”</p><p>“I hate it when humans treat us like freaks,” Nia chimed in. “Right, Bagheera?” she added, kissing the top of her black panther cub’s head.</p><p>Lena blinked and stared at the teenager, who was the last person she expected to have Gayle’s back rather than mock her for sounding emotional and human. </p><p>
  <em>Turning children is an abomination. </em>
</p><p>“I just…,” Gayle inhaled. She waved Lyra away and exhaled. “I can’t believe it’s over because I’m a vampire.”</p><p>Lena’s entire body froze when the weight of Gayle’s words sank in. She got dumped because the human didn’t want to date a vampire and that same human happened to be Kara’s best friend. Lena wondered if Kara was bound to feel the same way once the truth was out. Lena meant to come clean soon, she knew she had to, knew she owed it to the woman she loved. It wasn’t fair of her to keep such a secret at bay and the longer she did, the more Lena convinced herself she didn’t deserve Kara.</p><p>Gayle revealed the truth to Imra, hopeful and stupidly naïve and now Imra was gone. Lena saw that human unconscious when she drank too much and Gayle carried her inside, but for some reason, even Lena dared to dream the truth wouldn’t destroy what Gayle and Imra had. But it did. It shattered into pieces, along with the young vampire’s feelings. And Gayle didn’t bite humans to feed, while Lena spent centuries killing mortals to the point where she stopped counting after she reached a thousand.</p><p>“So excuse me if I’m angry,” Gayle sneered, glaring specifically at Lena.</p><p>“I know you’re hurt, Psi,” Lena sighed. She mirrored what Reign did and placed a hand on Gayle’s shoulder. “I would be, too,” Lena confessed, swallowing around a lump in her throat. “We may be vampires, though none of us are dead inside.”</p><p>“Preach it, sister,” Nia declared. “On the bright side, there are more fish in the sea,” she told Gayle with a shrug.</p><p>“I should have killed her when I had the chance,” Gayle scoffed. “From now on, I will no longer date mortals.”</p><p>Lena echoed the latter part of the sentiment because Kara was the first human she was interested in romantically, and she was bound to be the last. However, if Kara were to turn her down based on her nature, Lena couldn’t imagine wanting to harm her.</p><p>Gayle fetched two cups filled to the rim with blood and drank both of them, back to back. “She called me names,” she whispered, fingers shaking as she set the cups down on the table. “I wanted to strangle her, but she broke up with me in public.”</p><p>
  <em>Imra knows I’m a vampire. </em>
</p><p>Feelings overwhelmed Lena. Pain like no other laced through her, cutting through her heart without mercy, and it burned. The mere thought of losing whom she believed to be her other half sliced into her, threatening to unravel the threads of her very being, tearing them apart one by one until she was nothing but a ghost of who she used to be. It was as if she waded into the ocean again, only this time she didn’t come up to spit out the water. A faint voice in the back of her head screamed at Lena to pack up her things and run, far away from National City.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena just got out of the woods when she realized she forgot her phone in her bathroom, next to her sink where she had it last. With the possibility of Kara sending messages and growing concerned when Lena didn’t answer, she turned around and set course toward the mansion to retrieve the device.</p><p>The front door was open, wide enough for Lena to slip past without giving it a push. It soon became clear to her she wasn’t the only one there. There were faint footsteps in the kitchen and she smelled blood. The torches burned, though fewer than usual.</p><p>“What do you want to do, Luce?”</p><p>It was Leslie’s voice and she whispered. Lena hadn’t even known she was at the mansion and she didn’t expect to spot her shadow against the wall, next to Lucy and Reign’s, who weren’t new to hushed conversations. Lena had no intention of listening in, just as she never bothered to before. Their little plots of whatever it was they cooked up held no importance to her.</p><p>
  <em>If they’re about to have a threesome, I’d rather not return until the crack of dawn. </em>
</p><p>Lena didn’t need them or the others of their kind to rub it in how they could freely have sex, without fearing the possibility of causing harm. Each time Harley and Ivy went at it like bunnies was irritating enough when Lena had pent up sexual frustrations she couldn’t set free.</p><p>“I am not certain,” Lucy spoke silently. “Magdalena is my great-granddaughter and-” </p><p>
  <em>No…it can’t be. </em>
</p><p>Lena burst into the room. “I’m your what?”</p><p>Lucy staggered back, eyes round like a deer caught in headlights.</p><p>“Oh shit,” Leslie mumbled, lips red with blood, “busted.”</p><p>Reign put down the pieces of paper she had in her hands. “I should have locked the door,” she apologized, squeezing Lucy’s shoulder.</p><p>Lena’s eyes flitted between Leslie, Reign, and Lucy at such a rapid speed it nearly made her feel dizzy. But Lena didn’t wait for an answer or some fucked up explanation as to why the three of them knew Lucy was her great-grandmother – apparently – while she didn’t. So Lena ran. She moved her legs as fast as she could while she sped through the woods.</p><p>“Lena, please,” Lucy called out. “Return home.”</p><p>
  <em>I only have one home and that fucked up place isn’t it. </em>
</p><p>It made sense now why Reign let the twins go hunting without her, why she was so fast to trust them under the care of others. That conniving bitch clearly knew Lucy wasn’t Lena’s cousin and she never said anything to her. She spent centuries with those liars and somehow, even Leslie was in on their twisted secret. After everything Lena did for Leslie when she was human, that one truly stung.</p><p>Lena gave Leslie a home when she had none and by granting her the favor to turn her, Lena gave Leslie a family that was much tighter-knitted than the majority of mortal families. And this was how Leslie chose to thank her? By stabbing her in the fucking back like a coward?</p><p>She kept running, although Lena slowed her pace once she reached the city, populated by humans. The truth she learned tonight – not by chance but by being cursed for life – echoed through her mind and she couldn’t turn it off, couldn’t unlearn what had to be a fact.</p><p>Lena pressed the tips of her fingers to her pocket, where she kept the key to Kara’s apartment, but she couldn’t go there, not like that. The wires in Lena’s head snapped as she dove into the first dark alley she saw. Lucy lied to her, twisted the truth for no understandable reason, pretended to be her cousin when she wasn’t. Lena should have known it was false all those centuries ago, but she never met her aunt and didn’t know if she had children or not.</p><p>So when Lucy found Lena and looking at the youthful vampire was like staring into a mirror, Lena didn’t doubt they were related. And they were. They still were family. But they weren’t cousins. Lena’s great-grandmother was alive and selfishly turned her when she didn’t do the same for her mother. Lena lost her mother for nothing.</p><p>A man walked by, at the wrong time, at the wrong place.</p><p>With a snap of her fingers, Lena caught his attention.</p><p>“Good evening, miss,” the man greeted while he stepped into the alley. “Are you alr-”</p><p>Lena’s fingers wrapped around the human’s throat, one by one, with an iron grip. Every fiber in her body screamed destruction, but then she made the mistake of looking into the male’s eyes. They were round and blue, and there was a light in them while his hands desperately tried to push Lena’s arm away, clinging to his life. For a flicker of a second, she imagined the human was Kara, and how she would struggle to survive. Lena watched the life drain from mortals before, without a second thought as if it meant absolutely nothing they were living beings.</p><p>She did the one thing she never even considered before. Lena pictured herself in the shoes of her victim and she let go. She loosened her hold and let go.</p><p>
  <em>I do not want to be this person anymore. </em>
</p><p>While the human gasped for air, Lena decided to take a page out of Gayle’s book, and not kill mortals anymore. The newborn vampire, whom she thought was weak, was the kind of vampire Lena now looked up to. Gayle was honest and showed great strength by never directly feeding off of a human and she was the closest to a human a vampire could get.</p><p>And Lena needed to be a little bit mortal. She hadn’t realized it before, but now it was as clear as her unconditional love for Kara. Lucy was fairly humane, too, and she used to be gentle and genuine until it turned out she was nothing but a liar.</p><p>“Do not stare at me again,” Lena hissed while what she really wanted was to apologize, to do what her girlfriend would have done. “I work out for a reason,” she added to sell her excuse.</p><p>“I wasn’t, miss. I-I’m married.”</p><p>Out of all the men that could have passed by, Lena just had to be stuck with one who wasn’t a scumbag.</p><p>Lena bit her tongue. “My mistake.”</p><p>The mortal ran away, alive when Lena came within an inch of ending his life. He was a complete stranger, something that used to keep her mind from going over the edge and jumping into guilt, but she was consumed by it anyway. The same thing happened the first night she met Kara when Lena found out the man she killed was a father. She realized that in the end, every human being was someone’s husband, wife, son, daughter, sister, and so on. The stranger, who had done nothing wrong, only wanted to go home to their companion. Lena pictured another human awaiting the one she let go, and she imagined the empty hole in their heart if she hadn’t.</p><p>For each life Lena took, carelessly while she sated her thirst, she killed pieces of other humans, too. She couldn’t begin to envision how many children had gone to bed, wondering why their parents abandoned them. Vampires weren’t supposed to have much of a guilty conscience, but the feeling overpowered Lena and left her paralyzed. Her mother wouldn’t have wanted this for her.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Where is the real me? ♪</em>
  <em><br/>♪ I'm lost and it kills me…inside ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lucy ran through the woods and plowed down each tree in her path. There was a different route, multiple ones even, she knew that much, though none of those were as fast as the one she created. She needed to halt Lena from running, had to find her great-grandchild before Lena did something reckless. Lucy found relief in the fact this city wasn’t one Lena could leave behind without looking back.</p><p>Lena fell in love with a human and that changed everything. Lucy never meant to spill the secret before, but recently, she had a change of heart, and her carelessness tonight ruined her plans. She would have used sign language to communicate if it wasn’t for Leslie, who hadn’t learned that one yet, let alone anything aside from English.</p><p>
  <em>It is my fault. And my fault alone. </em>
</p><p>Lucy made her choices and now she had to live with each one of those. In the past, she feared voicing the truth was too much for Lena to hear, so she lied and said they were cousins. Reign suggested they could be twins, turned vampires at different ages, but Lena got angry when Reign tried to refer to Lena and Lucy as twins. On the outside, she was six years younger than Lena. And Lucy believed being cousins was an easier pill for Lena to swallow than the truth.</p><p>Lucy made her way to the address she was given by Scylla. She passed by doors until she found number thirteen. A piece of the wood was chipped off, at the height where Lucy raised her fist to knock, affirming she was at the right place.</p><p>Kara opened the door, enough for Lucy to get a good look at her. Kara’s hair was loose and in disarray, and she was clad in thin pink cotton pajamas with a rainbow in the middle of her top. She had one hand on the door while her body blocked the entrance.</p><p>Lucy knew when her presence wasn’t welcome somewhere and due to the circumstances; she didn’t blame Kara for her lack of hospitality.</p><p>“Lucy…hi,” Kara murmured, clearing her throat. “What, erm, brings you here?”</p><p>“Is Lena here?”</p><p>“No,” Kara answered, but her heart missed a beat at the same time and she had a crinkle between her eyebrows. “I, um, haven’t seen your sister. Is something the matter?”</p><p>
  <em>Thou art dishonest, sweetling. </em>
</p><p>Lucy heard a cat meowing from inside the apartment. The animal used its nails to scratch at wood while his noises grew more persistent. Near the sound, she picked up on a hushed sniffle, barely contained. She willed herself to remain in place rather than push Kara aside to go and comfort her great-grandchild.</p><p>“We had an argument of sorts,” Lucy shared, wishing it were that simple. “Would you mind terribly to message Lesleanna if you hear anything from Lena?”</p><p>Kara tilted her head to the side. “Lesleanna…?”</p><p>“Leslie,” Lucy clarified with a thin smile. “My girlfriend.”</p><p>Kara’s eyes widened for a second. “Oh, she…you…,” she uttered, blinking. “Um, yes, I’ll, ah, keep an eye out.”</p><p>“Please do,” Lucy insisted, fearing the only thing holding Lena together right now was Kara.</p><p>“O-of course,” Kara swallowed, and she didn’t strike Lucy as the untruthful type.</p><p>It had to be Lena who requested Kara to omit her location. As long as Lena didn’t flee the country, Lucy had hope she could patch up her mistakes. She couldn’t lose the only family she had left and while Reign did her best to include Lucy in hers, it wasn’t the same.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena sat on the bed with her knees pulled up under her chin. She never felt smaller and more vulnerable than she did at that moment, while tears pried themselves free from her eyes, and she couldn’t stop any of it, couldn’t help but feel powerless.</p><p>“She’s gone,” Kara declared, though Lena already knew because she heard Lucy’s footsteps fade away.</p><p>The mattress dipped a little when Kara climbed on. She settled next to Lena and swung her left arm around Lena’s shoulders. Kara didn’t say another word, didn’t pry while she caressed Lena’s arm, and hummed a melody foreign to Lena, but it felt soothing.</p><p>Lena allowed her tears to burst from her eyes freely. She buried her shame, ignored the sense of weakness, and let it out.</p><p>“I thought my biological family was dead,” Lena spoke with a quivering lip. “My father…my mother…all of them, but I was wrong.”</p><p>Lena swallowed thickly and sucked in a breath, but the weight on her chest refused to ease up. It pressed there, connected like a shadow, though not the kind that disappeared in the dark. Lena ran the math in her head and figured no mortal her age still had a great-grandmother when Kara was twenty-six also and had lost her grandmother.</p><p>“My…grandmother is alive,” Lena shared, eyebrows crinkling together. “And I found out today Lucy and Rey knew.”</p><p>It was the closest truth Lena was able to open up about and she felt like such a hypocrite for being upset Lucy spun a web of lies about them being cousins, while Lena still hadn’t been honest with Kara about her being a vampire. And the worst part was Lena expected –<em> hoped</em> – Kara would understand and accept she had to lie when Lena couldn’t do the same for Lucy.</p><p>Lena hated herself for it, hated how she came here, weeping over a lie when she herself withheld a secret. She hated how Kara was there for her, oblivious to the murderer whose tears she dried. Lena’s mood clouded with bitterness. She was no better than Lucy, but they were family after all, and the apple didn’t appear to fall that far from the tree.</p><p>“They kept it a secret from you?” Kara questioned, eyes soft and caring. “Have they known for a long time? Maybe they meant to tell you soon.”</p><p>“Doubtful,” Lena muttered. She let out a scoff. “They’ve known my entire life,” she said, certain Lucy knew precisely who she was all along, and told Reign, and eventually even Leslie. “I don’t understand why they never told me. I’m so…so…”</p><p>Lena sighed, but she couldn’t bring herself to unclench her fists. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to punch Lucy or herself or both.</p><p>“It’s okay to feel angry or upset or anything you’re feeling right now,” Kara reassured. “They betrayed you and-”</p><p>“Yes,” Lena whispered, “betrayal.”</p><p>“-They might not have meant to, though that doesn’t mean your feelings are invalid. It’s hurtful when someone close to your heart hasn’t been honest with you, I get that, and it’s okay to let them know you’re hurting.”</p><p>“It does hurt,” Lena agreed, and that made it worse. “What if I’m no different from them? What if I’m evil?”</p><p>Vampires had a higher threshold for pain than humans did. If Lena couldn’t handle Lucy’s lie, she feared for Kara’s reaction to hers. Lena couldn’t bear to destroy the beautiful romance they had, but most importantly, she couldn’t put Kara through hell.   </p><p>“I’m here for you,” Kara promised, her voice gentle unlike the invisible knife jabbing at Lena’s heart. “I got you,” Kara ensured while she wound both of her arms around Lena, “and I’m not going anywhere, okay?”</p><p>“P-promise?”</p><p>Lena hated herself more as soon as she said it, but Kara was her lifeline, and if she didn’t cling to her, to the light she radiated, Lena feared she would set herself onto a dark path. She wasn’t sure who she was anymore. Centuries ago, she was someone’s daughter, and she used to be good. Lena was compassionate as a mortal, but she lost her humanity when she became a vampire. And now, she stranded in the middle and wound up lost somewhere in the grey area between the light and the dark.</p><p>“I promise,” Kara replied, which if she knew better there was no way she would have. But she was kind and human and caring and too good for anyone who didn’t mirror her personality.</p><p>“I usually try to cheer people up with ice cream and a movie,” Kara said with a light chuckle. “But I do have something for you. It’s something I bought recently, a gift, and it’s not for a special occasion or anything like that, but I saw it at a shop and I was thinking about you, so…yeah.”</p><p>Kara leaped out of bed and padded over toward her closet. She moved a stack of shirts, retrieving a paper bag, from which she pulled out a gift covered in green wrapping paper. Kara then returned to Lena’s side and handed it over to her.</p><p>“Go on,” Kara encouraged, eyes softening. “Have a look.”</p><p>Lena tore the wrapping until she saw a box, not much larger than her hands pressed together. “Headphones?” she whispered, shifting her eyes from the present to Kara, who smiled at her.</p><p>Lena wasn’t sure what prompted the gift when she had no computer to plug it into, but she intended to thank Kara regardless to avoid hurting her feelings by appearing unappreciative.</p><p>“They’re noise canceling,” Kara explained while she took it from Lena and opened the box. “You can connect them to your phone via Bluetooth,” Kara went on as she unzipped a small case that held the black headphones. “I almost opted for the silver ones, to match your hair,” she added with a chuckle.</p><p>Lena guffawed. “You wound me, darling,” she uttered, holding her left hand to her heart, but a second later, a smile broke through on her face. “You enjoy making fun of me, don’t you?”</p><p>“Just a smidge,” Kara admitted, chewing her lip. “But I’d never deliberately hurt your feelings.”</p><p>Lena knew it was all in good nature and she loved Kara for daring to be bold, even if it was at her expense. Kara already alluded how Lena took her breath away and her adorable ramblings were all the reassurance Lena needed to know the tips of her hair which had turned grey, weren’t a turn off for Kara.</p><p>“I, ah,” Kara whispered while she held out the headphones with one hand and reached for the manual with the other. “You were struggling with the fireworks at the bonfire and I’m not too sure how you cope with other loud noises or how much they burden you, but I know you get migraines sometimes, so I thought that maybe these would help and they’re cushioned, so they should feel pleasant around your ears.”</p><p>
  <em>I can’t believe someone like you exists. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s hands shook. Her fingers were inches away from the headphones. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, though she no longer felt upset. She forgot about the hurt, about the reason she came to Kara’s apartment at night, and roused her from her slumber.</p><p>“Here, let me,” Kara insisted with a smile. “I’ll help you figure out how to set it up. It should be a piece of cake,” she hummed while she slowly placed it atop Lena’s head, “how does it feel?”</p><p>“It feels like I’ll love you forever,” Lena swore, smiling when Kara blushed. “You’re perfect to me, Kara. You have no idea how much your kind gesture means to me.”</p><p>Lena’s fingers still trembled when she cupped Kara’s cheeks and closed the space between them. At that moment, Lena vowed to herself there was nothing in the world she wouldn’t do for Kara, and that she would protect Kara with her life.</p><p>Kara pulled away first, inhaling a shaky breath. “I have an idea,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows. “How do you feel about karaoke?”</p><p>Lena tipped her head back with a groan. “I thought you loved me.”</p><p>“Karaoke is fun,” Kara replied, and how was Lena supposed to say no to the love of her immortal life?</p><p>“I can’t sing,” Lena declared, hoping Kara wouldn’t bring up the time she sang a Russian lullaby.</p><p>“We can duet.”</p><p>“Now that, I don’t have a problem with,” Lena mused, laughing when Kara smacked her arm.</p><p>Kara’s face was never as red as it was now. “You know what I meant,” she muttered with a pout. “You’re such a tease, baby. And to say I was going to let you choose the first song…”</p><p>Lena raised a brow. “You want there to be multiple?”</p><p>“I have lots of music because I happen to have good taste.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Lena hummed.</p><p>To Lena’s memory, Kara’s favorite artist was a teenager named Billie Eilish. Nia had laughed in Lena’s face when she asked her who this eyelash human was before she learned to correctly use her name. That same day, Lena listened to every single one of Billie’s songs with Nia, and while it certainly wasn’t as bad as One Direction or any of the other boy bands Nia humored herself with, it wasn’t Ella Fitzgerald.</p><p>“You’re my girlfriend, so yes,” Kara answered, “I have taste.”</p><p>“I surrender,” Lena announced with a sigh. “Do you have Dream A Little Dream Of Me?”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena walked out onto the street because if she spent the night at Kara’s place, she had to lie again in the morning. In hindsight, Lena should have known Lucy hadn’t left after she showed up on Kara’s doorstep. No, that was too easy.</p><p>“I never meant to hurt thee, Magdalena.”</p><p>Lena wished she had a door to slam into that liar’s face. “You weren’t supposed to listen in,” she stated, straightening her back, tilting her chin up just an inch. “What is it you want?”</p><p>“Thou art my great-grandchild,” Lucy whispered, lifting a hand to caress Lena’s cheek, which Lena slapped away.</p><p>
  <em>I hate you. You are nothing to me. </em>
</p><p>“You told me you were my cousin, then you tried to be my sister and all this time you were my great-grandmother. I thought you died centuries ago. You should have,” Lena declared, and even though her words put tears in Lucy’s eyes, Lena meant every single one of them, and would gladly repeat her sentiment. “You’re not my mother’s estranged elder sister’s daughter. You told me you were Morgause’s child, but you aren’t.”</p><p>“Morgause was my granddaughter and never bore a child.”</p><p>“Why did you turn me when you could have turned her or my mother, or your child?” Lena demanded while tears that felt hot on her cold skin made their way down her cheeks. “Why did you do this to me?”</p><p>“Once, long ago, I loved a woman. Her name was Mina, and she loved me not,” Lucy sighed softly. “I grew close to the man she adored and when I was nineteen, I gave birth to my daughter. It was a sin, blasphemous in the eyes of my mother. She ripped my small babe from my arms and I never saw her again.”</p><p>“I needn’t hear this,” Lena bit out. “This doesn’t explain why you bit me.”</p><p>“A year went by and I was human no more,” Lucy went on. “I was alone, weeks, months…years. Reign found me and promised to aid in the search of my long lost family. Alas, my daughter passed, as did her children. You were an orphan with nothing left in the world. I wanted to give you a family in order to keep the last of mine.”</p><p>Lucy held out the papers that were at the mansion before. “Please,” she whispered, pressing them into Lena’s hands.</p><p>Lena’s fingers moved too roughly and she watched as the remains twirled down onto the pavement. Names were written onto the pieces, including her mother’s and hers. “Our family tree,” she noted, gazing up at Lucy.</p><p>“I sent Raelle to Ireland for the documents. I wish to be thy grandmother,” Lucy explained, taking Lena’s hands in hers. “Can thou forgive me, Magdalena?”</p><p>“I used to think you were a saint, despite the fact you were the one who bit me, but now I know better. You’re a liar and you’re selfish and I hate you, and I hate that I hate you because I’m a selfish liar, too. I hate that you’ve turned me into this hypocrite,” Lena sobbed, wiping at her tears as they kept coming. “And I hate…I hate that I love you because when darkness consumed my soul, you were there for me.”</p><p>“My dearest child,” Lucy uttered while she wound her arms around Lena, “I would burn the world for thee.”</p><p>“Open your eyes, Luce,” Lena sighed. She backed away and dug her nails into her skin, letting her blood drip onto the pavement. “You already have.”</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kara jogged around the block with a smile on her face when she saw the pizzeria was open. It wasn’t noon yet, but she sort of missed breakfast because she called Lena, and it was meant to be a quick five minutes phone call, tops, but it got away from both of them and an hour later her stomach rumbled. Kara meant to go all the way to Noonan’s, but pizza began to sound better for brunch than sticky buns.</p><p>It took all of two seconds for Kara to regret her decision when she walked in.</p><p>Maggie was perched atop the counter while Imra clutched her shirt with her fist and pulled Maggie down into a kiss that quickly grew heated. One of them – Kara wasn’t sure which – moaned and then their tongues got involved, and Kara decided she saw way more than her eyes could handle.</p><p>
  <em>Surely they heard the bell ding? It’s kind of hard to miss. </em>
</p><p>“Ahem,” Kara coughed, staring at the pair.</p><p>“Hey, little Danvers,” Maggie said, glancing Kara’s way before tucking a lock of Imra’s hair behind her ear. Maggie leaned back, brow arched. “What’s up?”</p><p>“The, erm, door was open,” Kara explained while she pointed at the sign that confirmed her words. “And…this is a pizzeria.”</p><p>“You’re hungry early today,” Imra noted with a smile. “It’s not even lunchtime yet.”</p><p>“You’re one to talk,” Kara muttered under her breath.</p><p>“Don’t be like that, Kara,” Imra sighed. She grasped Maggie’s fingers with hers and squeezed. “I’ll call you later,” Imra said, letting go. “I have a training session soon.”</p><p>Kara clasped her right hand around her left arm, chewing her cheek as she moved aside so her best friend could pass. Clearly, those drinks Imra and Maggie had together led to more, and now Kara considered the possibility of them dating. It was strange because while Imra never failed to allude she thought of Maggie as an attractive woman, they grew up together, although Alex knew Maggie since she was a child as well and they were together for some time.</p><p>“I thought you were still hung up on my sister,” Kara blurted out.</p><p>And maybe it was too blunt or harsh and entirely none of her business, but Kara couldn’t help herself. She couldn’t wrap her head around Maggie humoring Imra with a date and kissing her God knew how many times, though Imra was gorgeous and had no problem turning heads everywhere she went.</p><p>Kara put her hands firmly on her hips, widening her stance a little.</p><p>“I’m going to need scotch for this,” Maggie murmured while she slid over the counter.</p><p>“It’s eleven--!” Kara dropped her hands with an exasperated sigh. “Never mind.”</p><p>
  <em>I hope she won’t make a habit out of this because I don’t want her dragging Imra down with her. </em>
</p><p>“Look, I loved Alex,” Maggie declared as she poured herself a glass. “What I had with her was real and it was beautiful, but I can’t keep loving a ghost of the past, and I won’t let you or anyone else blame me anymore for what happened. She wanted kids. I didn’t. And that’s nobody’s fault.”</p><p>“I…I don’t blame you.”</p><p>“Yes, you do,” Maggie insisted, taking a sip from her drink and then another. “I get it. I broke your sister’s heart. But she broke mine, too.”</p><p>Kara never quite looked at it that way. She liked to believe she didn’t hate or dislike Maggie, but perhaps part of her did. Alex was a mess when her engagement with Maggie screeched to a halt because they discovered too late they didn’t agree about children. Deep down, it was possible Kara saw Maggie as the villain, and she knew it wasn’t fair.</p><p>“I have the right to move on,” Maggie continued, “it’s been, God, it’s been a year and a half.”</p><p>Kara bit her lip. “You’re right.”</p><p>“Alex knows.”</p><p>Kara blinked. “She…she does?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Maggie replied, toying with the rim of her glass. “I don’t owe her an explanation, which was what she said, too. But, I wanted her to hear it from me instead of you.”</p><p>Kara swallowed and nodded. “I told you Kelly moved in,” she realized, rolling her lips into her mouth.</p><p>“You were never a good secret keeper, little Danvers.”</p><p>Kara released her lips with an audible pop. “That is so not true, I’m good at keeping secrets,” she defended, puffing out her chest. “And that one didn’t count because that technically wasn’t a secret, but if someone told me something is a secret then I wouldn’t tell a soul. I’d promise them I wouldn’t and I keep promises, just like I keep secrets. There are secrets I’ve never told anyone like when Alex broke the vase – err, in my dreams. That was a dream, just a, ah, dream.”</p><p>
  <em>Oomph, that was close. </em>
</p><p>Maggie set her glass aside. “Uhuh,” she mumbled, raising a brow.</p><p>“You’re right,” Kara sighed. “A-about earlier…I did blame you. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry I treated you like a villain because you’re a good person and you didn’t deserve that.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Maggie replied, smiling faintly. “Now, what can I get you?”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Alex set down the pack of diapers and huffed as she hoisted the rest of Jamie’s things onto the table. </p><p>“Jin, Jin!” Jamie yelled loud enough Kara was certain her neighbors weren’t going to like her much this morning. “Mis Jiiiin!”</p><p>“Mister Jingles is in my bedroom, sweetie,” Kara shared in the hopes her niece would quiet down a little. “He’s playing with yarn and you can play with him if you want, but be careful, okay?”</p><p>Jamie bobbed her head up and down.</p><p>“Use your words, Jamie,” Alex insisted. “What do you say to auntie Kara?”</p><p>“Jam listen.”</p><p>Jamie ran toward Kara’s bedroom, giggling as she made her way through the open door and said something intangible to the cat.</p><p>Kara scooted the tip of her slipper across the floor, but she felt she had to address the elephant in the room, or at least the one she saw.</p><p>“So, erm…,” Kara began. “How do you feel about Maggie going out with Imra?”</p><p>“Honestly? I don’t mind,” Alex answered, shrugging a shoulder. “I’m happy with Kelly and I want Maggie to find happiness, too.”</p><p>Kara couldn’t help but smile at that. “You inspire me, Alex,” she spoke, genuine and surprised her sister handled it so well.</p><p>
  <em>I’m happy she’s happy. </em>
</p><p>Kara knew Alex was completely head over heels in love with Kelly, though that didn’t automatically mean the past no longer hurt. Maggie looked a little pained the first time she heard about Alex moving on, but Maggie was single. Then again, Kara wanted her ex to find happiness as well, even though he was a mean jerk who made her feel bad about herself.</p><p>“Ignore the words coming out of my mouth,” Alex said with a smile that reached her eyes. “It’s all Kelly. She’s this beautiful incredible woman who has helped me heal and I just…,” she sighed as she shook her head a little. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”</p><p>“Have you picked out rings yet?”</p><p>Alex chuckled. “Sometimes I find myself stopping in front of a jewelry store and looking through the window,” she admitted, cheeks coloring red as she bit her lip.</p><p>
  <em>Oh my God, yes. Mentally crossing my fingers so hard right now. </em>
</p><p>“I have complete faith in both of you getting there someday!” Kara gushed while she scooped her sister up in a hug. “Just give me a heads up when so I can get Mister Jingles a tux,” she added with a smile, patting Alex’s back before she let go.</p><p>Alex wiggled her eyebrows. “Speaking of pets…”</p><p>Kara’s eyes lit up like it was the Fourth of July. “No way,” she whispered while what her sister implied sank in. “Oh God, Alex! This is fantastic news!”</p><p>
  <em>I feel like dancing. </em>
</p><p>“Oomph,” Alex grunted when Kara hugged her again, only much tighter.</p><p>“Jamie is going to be so happy!” Kara exclaimed. “We have kittens and puppies at the shelter and ooh, ooh! They could grow up together! It’ll be so cute, ugh my heart is smiling.”</p><p>Just then, Jamie strutted into the living room with Mister Jingles in her arms. “Mi baby?” she questioned with a giggle.</p><p>Jamie squealed and ducked her head when Mister Jingles licked her nose.</p><p>“So, which pet do you want?” Kara pondered, glancing at her sister. “A cat? A dog? And if it’s a dog do you want a little one or a big fluffy one? We have lots of dogs at the shelter and cats, too. No hairless cats though. Those are sold for a lot of money by breeders. But who minds a little vacuuming? And think about all the cuddles you’ll get, all of the unconditional love. If you get a dog, you can go on walks together to the park, and Jamie could throw a Frisbee or some other toy for him or her to fetch. Or if you want your pet to be a little more self-sufficient, you could get a cat. Ooh, you can make an Instagram account for your pet and-”</p><p>“Kara,” Alex laughed. “This feels like my first adoption all over again,” she pointed out with a soft sigh. She looked at her daughter with a fond smile before she glanced back at Kara.</p><p>“I was…not that bad,” Kara huffed. “Just a teensy bit excited,” she admitted, holding her index finger and thumb an inch apart.</p><p>“A teensy bit?” Alex scoffed, but her smile remained in place. “Kara, when I told you I was looking into adoption, you bought socks.”</p><p>“Nothing wrong with a pair of socks…,” Kara reasoned, averting her eyes. “Mhmm, so how’s the weather outside?”</p><p>“You bought socks in every size,” Alex recalled. She crossed her arms with a ‘don’t deny it’ look on her face. “I still have a drawer filled with nothing but socks.”</p><p>
  <em>Can’t say I’m not supportive. </em>
</p><p>“Okay, so I was a lot excited,” Kara confessed, holding up her hands. “I’m just really, really, really happy to be an aunt.”</p><p>“I’d be really happy to be an aunt, too. You know.”</p><p>Kara choked on air. “I…don’t…,” she grimaced.</p><p>“I know,” Alex sighed, but then she smiled. “But teasing you never gets old,” she laughed, patting Kara’s shoulder, “you should’ve seen your face.”</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “You j-word!”</p><p>
  <em>I am so texting Kelly.  </em>
</p><p>“Kawa look,” Jamie giggled, pointing her tiny little finger at the cat. “Jin eat.”</p><p>Mister Jingles sat in front of his bowl, digging his head in there as if it was the last kibble he was ever going to see. He crunched it between his teeth, to the toddler’s delight. Jamie plopped down on the floor next to Mister Jingles, on her hands and knees, exclaiming, “Jam eat too!”</p><p>Kara hadn’t been spending all that much time with her niece lately and that little cutie grew up fast. Jamie looked like she was at least two inches taller than the last time Kara saw her. She knew she visited Alex and Kelly less ever since she met Lena and since the shelter relocated to expand their capacity, but Kara wanted to manage her time better. Every person in her life was important to her, from her best friend who she boxed with a little less frequently now, her colleague who always showed adorable pictures of the kittens and of Bowie, her sister and her hopefully soon to be sister in law who had provided countless dinners, and Lena who had an incredible family of which Kara mostly formed a friendship with Nia while the others kept more to themselves.</p><p>Kara’s life was full and it filled her with happiness. She loved her family and friends, and her girlfriend. She felt blessed she got so lucky to have every single one of them in her life and to be surrounded by so much love. Every morning, she woke up to Mister Jingles’ lovely face and texts from Lena, telling her how much she loved her.</p><p>Jamie tried to sound like a cat, which had Mister Jingles staring at her rather than at his bowl.</p><p>“Jamie can stay more than one night if you want,” Kara offered her sister. She had to work the day after tomorrow, but Eve wouldn’t fuss about her bringing her niece along. Helpers were always welcome at the shelter, no matter how small. “It’s no trouble.”</p><p>Alex shook her head. “One weekend away is enough. I’d miss my little munchkin too much otherwise.”</p><p>Kara knew Jamie was pretty much attached to Alex’s hip and vice versa. But the same went for Kelly, so all three of them together formed a perfect family.</p><p>“Where will you be going?” Kara wondered. “I think I have a coupon for Noonan’s somewhere…”</p><p>“The botanic garden, followed by dinner at Kelly’s favorite restaurant.”</p><p>Well, that sure beat Kara’s idea. “Aw, she’ll love that.”</p><p>“How’s everything between you and Lena?”</p><p>
  <em>Gosh, where should I start?</em>
</p><p>“Really well,” Kara breathed out. “I like her, a lot. She even sang karaoke with me when she didn’t seem to be into it much at first and she’s just…she’s this sensitive person and I can tell she’s been hurt one too many times, and I want to protect her because she’s a soft baby and I want to hug her all the time. Don’t tell her I called her a soft baby though, I think she wants to be a tough badass and she is, but she’s also soft. I know she has that insane motorcycle you’ve been freaking out about, but don’t let that fool you because I’m pretty sure her middle name is baby. I just…I love her. God, I love her so much it feels like my heart is going to combust.”</p><p>Alex laughed. “I was expecting a few words, though I suppose I should’ve guessed you’d ramble,” she hummed, nodding to herself. “Ever since you started talking, you were this babbling waterfall,” she recalled with a smile.</p><p>“I’m happy your relationship with Lena is going well,” Alex spoke. “I really am.”</p><p>“Me too,” Kara sighed dreamily. “Every time I hold her hand, I want to burst out in a song, dedicated to her.”</p><p>Kara knew she was a dreamer, but technically Lena did sort of encourage her to dream a little dream of her, and she had. Lots of times. Whenever Kara was asleep, the majority of her dreams consisted of Lena and then when she awoke, Kara needed a shower.</p><p>“That’s gay,” Alex chuckled. “You have it bad for this one, hm?”</p><p>Kara’s lips split into the hugest smile and it hurt her cheeks a little to smile that bright, but she couldn’t do anything else because her heart smiled, too, and her sister was completely right. She did have it bad for Lena and for good reason because Kara finally met someone she might just want to grow old with, a feeling she didn’t have with her exes.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>A loud knock startled Kara. She opened her door, stumbling back when Nia rushed inside.</p><p>“I kissed Brainy,” Nia announced while she buried her fingers in her hair. “I grabbed their face and I kissed them and then I freaked out and pushed them and they toppled over the couch and…I don’t know why I did any of those things and I sort of ran away from them because I’m still freaking-”</p><p>
  <em>Aww, she’s like me when I first really liked someone and kissed them, minus the couch pushing thingy. </em>
</p><p>Nia stopped and narrowed her eyes while she peered to Kara’s left. “Who is that midget?” the teenager questioned, nodding her head at Jamie.</p><p>“That’s my niece,” Kara answered, frowning at her friend. But one look at the toddler had Kara smiling. “Her name is Jamie, isn’t she adorable?”</p><p>Nia let out a sound between a scoff and a huff. “No,” she stated plainly, shrugging a shoulder when Kara eyed her. “I hate kids,” Nia explained, glaring at Jamie for a second. “I always have and I always will so keep that drooling monster away from me.”</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped, especially when Nia pressed her fingers to her nose as if Jamie brought an unpleasant smell to her apartment or something. As much as Nia became a little sister to Kara, she didn’t appreciate the teenager being so rude toward her niece.</p><p>
  <em>Who on earth hates kids?</em>
</p><p>“If you want to talk to me, you’ll have to show some respect,” Kara demanded while she crossed her arms. “I care about you and I love you, but you can’t be mean to Jamie. She’s not a monster. She’s my favorite kid in the whole wide world, so either you’re going to apologize or you’re going to leave, right now.”</p><p>Kara would have let it slide if Nia hadn’t gone out of her way so much to show her disgust.</p><p>“Wow,” Nia whispered, lowering her hand. “I’m sorry?”</p><p>Kara clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. “Are you though?”</p><p>“You’re tougher than I thought,” Nia chuckled. “Okay,” she sighed, holding up both of her hands. “I’m sorry I insulted your family. I can see how that’s wrong and why it’s making you defensive.”</p><p>“But I have to go,” Nia blurted out before Kara had the chance to speak. “So I’ll text you,” Nia added while she walked backwards. “I just…I really need some air.”</p><p>Jamie perked up. “No go!” she shrieked and then she ran to Nia and wrapped her arms around Nia’s legs.</p><p>Nia’s reaction was immediate. She froze, from head to toe, moving only her eyes to stare down at the toddler. It was as if her heart had stopped too because she didn’t look like she was still breathing and the teenager was so naturally pale, Kara couldn’t tell if any color drained from her face or not.</p><p>“Oh, gosh,” Kara groaned, withholding laughter for the uncomfortable teenager’s sake. “You’ll have to forgive Jamie, she thinks every person who visits is her friend and she still thinks my cat is her baby,” she explained with a light chuckle while she pried her niece’s arms away from Nia.</p><p>
  <em>Why is she panicking?</em>
</p><p>Kara knew Nia told her about the kiss with Barney which spooked her, which was totally normal when falling in love for the first time ever, but this was different. Nia was relatively calm, in Kara’s opinion, up to the point where Jamie tried to hug her.</p><p>Nia didn’t appear grossed out, but rather afraid. More so than Kara had been when she first saw Sarah and Zara, although Kara did faint that night. But she had a reasonable excuse because of the whole Shining movie ordeal and Nia didn’t have one unless there was a really scary film about an adorable toddler.</p><p>“Nia?” Kara voiced, reaching out. “Are you…”</p><p>“Okay,” Kara whispered as the teenager ran out the door.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kara texted back and forth with Nia and when she heard a knock on her door, she thought the teenager returned. She glanced at her niece, who played with the Lego she gave her. Jamie was somewhat young for the smaller pieces, but she never put any in her mouth, and as long as Kara supervised, it was fine.</p><p>“Lena, hi,” Kara noted, face to face with her girlfriend after she unlocked her door. “Did you lose your key?”</p><p>“You have company and I figured knocking was the polite thing to do,” Lena replied, although Kara felt it had something to do with the last time when Lena entered late at night and kind of spooked her for a second. “Nia said to tell you she regrets her behavior.”</p><p>Kara nodded. “She texted me, so I know she must really be sorry if she sent you here to tell me that,” she sighed, feeling a stab of guilt for having been so short with Nia when she probably didn’t mean to be so crass.</p><p>Nia was going through a whirlwind of feelings that were new for her and Kara felt she should have sat her down and talked with her in person, rather than through text messages.</p><p>“I’m here to see you, darling,” Lena smiled, tucking Kara’s hair behind her ear.</p><p>“Oh,” Kara mouthed, smiling right back. “Make yourself at home,” she offered, spreading out her arms, and she meant to suggest the couch, but then Lena pulled her into a brief embrace.</p><p>Lena stroked Kara’s hair and hummed into her neck. “Home sweet home,” Lena whispered, kissing the underside of Kara’s jaw.</p><p>
  <em>I want us to live together someday. </em>
</p><p>“You feel like home, too,” Kara sighed happily. She gave Lena’s hands a squeeze, which despite the tank top weather felt cold, before letting go.</p><p>Lena crouched down in front of Jamie. “We meet again, tiny person,” Lena said, eyes widening when Jamie took the opportunity to hug her arms around Lena’s neck. “Aren’t you an affectionate little one.”</p><p>Kara chuckled. “Her name’s Jamie, in case you’ve forgotten,” she supplied with a smile.</p><p>Jamie squealed loudly when Lena tickled her. The toddler stopped hugging Lena and giggled as she ran toward the couch and ducked.</p><p>“Where on earth could she possibly be?” Lena asked in an exaggerated voice. “Well, she must be invisible now.”</p><p>Jamie’s giggles intensified. She crawled from the couch to the kitchen on her hands and knees, in plain sight while looking back at Lena, who inspected the couch. Jamie didn’t understand much of hide and seek, but Kara knew her niece loved pretty much every game she was introduced to.</p><p>Five minutes later, Jamie’s short attention span had shifted to Mister Jingles. The toddler held a dolly brush and used it to comb him while Mister Jingles stretched out on the floor, purring.</p><p>Kara excused herself to the kitchen in order to fill Jamie’s sippy cup. Alex insisted her daughter drink enough and reminded Kara Jamie needed a little push sometimes so she didn’t get dehydrated.</p><p>“Leena,” Jamie babbled while she padded toward her. “Leeena, play.”</p><p>“Here,” Lena replied as she picked up a piece of Lego. “You can have this yellow brick.”</p><p>Jamie accepted it with a toothy smile. “Yow,” she cooed, holding up the brick.</p><p>“Yellow,” Lena spoke, clapping her hands twice. “Yell-ow. Yellow.”</p><p>“Yellow,” Jamie mimicked, grinning from ear to ear.</p><p>“That’s right, baby girl,” Lena praised. She ran her fingers through Jamie’s curls and smiled at her. “How about we try another one?” Lena suggested with a hum. “Hmm, let’s see. R’s are a bit too big for you, so let’s get the blue one.”</p><p>Jamie blinked up at Lena. “Bu?” the toddler questioned, stretching out her free hand for the next piece of Lego.</p><p>Kara’s heart swelled as she watched the two people she loved dearly communicate with one another and she could already tell her niece liked her girlfriend, and vice versa. It was impossible not to adore Jamie and Lena when they were both incredibly precious. Kara forgot her task at hand, smiling at the two of them. She loved the way Lena behaved around Jamie, but Kara was still positively certain she didn’t want any kids of her own. Jamie was cute and Kara loved babysitting her, but being an aunt was enough for her. She couldn’t imagine raising a child and she knew Lena was on the same page.</p><p>Lena smiled and Kara’s entire heart melted because it was directed at her, and she got caught spying.</p><p>
  <em>Would you marry me if I asked?</em>
</p><p>Kara felt her stomach flutter at the thought. It was far too soon for such things and there were steps she had yet to take with Lena before going there, but Kara let herself dream a little regardless. She didn’t want to rush anything with Lena, wanted to do this right, so the seedling of their relationship could blossom into a beautiful rose.</p><p>Tearing her gaze away with some trouble, Kara filled up her niece’s sippy cup to ensure she got enough fluids. Alex wouldn’t be happy if Kara got too distracted to look after Jamie’s needs.</p><p>“Did your sister seem okay to you?” Kara wondered as she joined Lena on the couch after she gave Jamie her orange juice.</p><p>“A bit shook up, but she calmed down after we spoke.”</p><p>Kara was glad to hear the teenager turned to her sister. “So, um, you know?”</p><p>“That she kissed someone and panicked?” Lena replied with a heavy sigh. “Yes, I am aware.”</p><p>“Barney’s a good kid, they really are.”</p><p>“So you’ve said,” Lena murmured. She averted her gaze, lips curling up just a bit when she spotted Jamie. “What are you building, little one?”</p><p>At that point, Kara decided correcting Lena was futile. Little one sounded much better than drooling monster though because at least it wasn’t rude, Kara had to give her girlfriend that.</p><p>“Big towel,” Jamie answered, sticking out her tongue in utter concentration as she pressed a yellow brick onto a green one.</p><p>Jamie’s creation stuck out at all sides like a small castle filled with icepicks, but Kara was endeared by her focus and determination to build a tower, which Jamie no doubt wanted to destroy later like Kara taught her, considering it was the most fun part.</p><p>“Oh yes, I see it now,” Lena hummed. “With some luck, it might reach all the way up to my knees.”</p><p>“Are you sassing my niece?” Kara asked, laughing. “She can’t help that she’s little, you know. If you want to tease someone, tease me.”</p><p>Lena sipped from the thermos she brought with her. She didn’t say anything, but the way she arched her brow and smirked told Kara everything she needed to know. She knew Lena was a bit of a sly devil when it came down to teasing and she also knew she had to be careful what she asked for around Lena.</p><p>Kara groaned at the fact she couldn’t invite her girlfriend to spend the night. Well, technically she could, but if she did, nothing could happen because there was a lot her niece didn’t need to hear and see. Once again, Kara succeeded in tormenting herself.</p><p>Jamie placed her hands on Lena’s knees, huffing as she pulled herself up to stand on the tips of her toes. “Mi sippy?” the toddler questioned, staring at Lena.</p><p>“No, sweetheart,” Kara interrupted with a gentle smile. “That’s Lena’s.”</p><p>
  <em>Monkey see monkey do, hm? </em>
</p><p>Jamie worked up her best pout. “Jam sippy,” she muttered, jutting out her bottom lip.</p><p>“I’ll refill your sippy cup.”</p><p>Jamie stretched out her arms. “Up.”</p><p>Kara was halfway to reaching out for her niece when she saw Jamie was still looking at Lena. “I think she’s talking to you,” Kara pointed out, nudging Lena’s foot with hers.</p><p>Jamie tried to climb onto the couch to be closer to Lena, but rather than picking her up, Lena shifted away from her.</p><p>“Excuse me for a minute,” Lena mumbled. Her movements were stunted as she tripped over her own feet when she got up and she raised a clenched fist to her mouth like she was about to throw up.</p><p>Kara stood there, with a frown on her face while Lena disappeared into the bathroom. Her behavior was strange, much like Nia’s had been, and Lena had appeared fine at first. Kara didn’t get it, any of it. She couldn’t wrap her head around why Lena and Nia acted as if Jamie was repulsive.</p><p>
  <em>She played with Jamie, she was kind to her. What went wrong?</em>
</p><p>Unsure if it was related to Nia’s hatred for children or not, Kara went to knock on her bathroom door.</p><p>“Lena?” Kara prompted, holding her breath at how quiet it was. “Are you okay in there?”</p><p>“I am feeling…a little under the weather,” Lena answered and her voice sounded rough and strained.</p><p>Kara felt like a jerk for assuming for even a second Lena had something against Jamie. People got sick sometimes and Kara already knew Lena was easily plagued by migraines.</p><p>“Is there someone I can call to take you home?” Kara offered, preferring Lena’s family did rather than a stranger from Uber.</p><p>Lena’s response came slower this time. “Phone Nia.”</p><p>“Nia,” Kara nodded, though her girlfriend couldn’t see her. “Everything’s going to be okay, Lena,” she reassured her, leaning against the door. “I usually find a cold towel in my neck helps keep urges to vomit at bay and if you’re cold, my bathrobe is in there.”</p><p>Kara’s fingers shook as she selected Nia’s contact in her phone because she heard Lena sobbing and it broke her heart she couldn’t take her suffering away.</p><p>Nia promised to be there within the hour and after Kara hung up, she noticed the door was unlocked. She entered and found Lena in the shower, huddled in a ball, clothes soaking wet while water pelted down on top of her.</p><p>“Oh, God,” Kara breathed out, rushing to turn off the water.</p><p>Kara climbed into the shower with a towel. She wrapped it around Lena’s shivering body and pulled her into her arms, not caring about the way she shuddered because Lena was cold. Kara rubbed her hands up and down Lena’s back, doing all she could to keep her blood circulating.</p><p>“We need to get you out of those wet clothes,” Kara realized, but Lena just sat there and cried, and didn’t move when Kara tried to pull her up to her feet.</p><p>“Lena, please,” Kara whispered, swallowing. “Please, let me help you get warm and dry.”</p><p>Lena looked up. Her hair stuck to her face and had turned into a tangled mess. Another sob tore from her throat and Kara never saw her that miserable before, not even when Lena felt betrayed by her family not telling her immediately her grandmother was still alive.</p><p>“Ya ne chelovek (I’m not human), ya ne zasluzhivayu tebya (I don’t deserve you),” Lena whimpered, foreign and unfamiliar to Kara.</p><p>Kara learned switching languages was Lena’s way of telling her something she was meant to know, something she wanted Kara to hear while at the same time not being ready for Kara to understand just yet. The first time Lena told Kara she loved her, she did so in Spanish and was surprised when Kara knew what it meant. But this time, Kara didn’t know what was so terrible Lena had to hide it under another language.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bagheera leaped down the stairs. In his landing, he took down Elsa who laughed when he licked her face. The black panther was no longer a wee little cub and easily tackled the children, and sometimes tried to do the same to the adults. He whined while he gnawed at Elsa’s arm.</p><p>“I think Bagheera is hungry,” Nia said while she held up a slap of raw steak. “What do you say, Anna? Do you want to feed him this time?”</p><p>“Yes, please,” Anna replied, so sickly sweet and polite, it was in stark contrast with Sarah and Zara, who only begged with faux kindness.</p><p>Lena grew used to the differences between the two sets of twins. She was still against immortal children, although Anna and Elsa weren’t horrible. They were mellow, including around their human familiar.</p><p>“Attention, all of you,” Gayle spoke as if they wouldn’t hear what she had to say whether they wanted to or not. “From now on, I will solely go by Psi,” she announced, sipping from the cup in her hand. “Gayle is…” She glanced at her daughters, who looked up at her. “No more,” the vampire finished before she turned around and emptied the rest of her drink.</p><p>For all Lena cared she could go by nuisance number 19 or any number below that. There used to be fifteen vampires at the mansion aside from Lena until that newbie arrived with her children, and then Leslie moved in, which meant twenty immortals resided within its walls. And it drove Lena to the end of her wits, day after day. If it wasn’t for her relationship with Kara, Lena would have left by now, to another country entirely, away from the chaos.</p><p>Lucy being around didn’t help, but Lena didn’t want to be angry with her forever, although as a vampire, she could. Holding grudges left her feeling bitter and she wanted to shake that feeling. Lena spent centuries cursing her existence as a vampire, but lately, she realized Kara’s path would have never crossed hers if she hadn’t lived that long.</p><p>
  <em>I don’t deserve Kara. </em>
</p><p>“Hey,” Nia said as she nudged Lena with her elbow, “you seem distracted.”</p><p>Lena hummed. “Perhaps.”</p><p>“Penny for your thoughts?”</p><p>Lena arched a brow at the teenage vampire. “Go fish,” she responded, ascending the stairs, containing a roll of her eyes when Nia followed her.</p><p>Nia settled on Lena’s bed, pulled a pocket mirror out of her pocket, and inspected her makeup. The teenager touched her fingertips to her upper lip, where a part of her lipstick had gone missing. She reached into her other pocket and fished out the trinket to fix her appearance as if it ever needed fixing.</p><p>“How is your research into fashion coming along?” Lena asked, though underneath, a secret question was buried.</p><p>Lena had an arrangement with Nia not to mention the human teenager in the earshot of the others, particularly inside the mansion where prying ears were everywhere. So they came up with coded words or rather, Nia did, and while Lena wasn’t quick to admit it, she admired the young vampire’s brilliance. Idiot number one, two, and three should have taken a page out of Nia’s book when they decided to whisper about the fact Lucy was Lena’s great-grandmother. Reign was the eldest, though clearly not wiser, which she had already proven when she turned children.</p><p>“Better than I anticipated,” Nia replied with a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her lips. “I will be looking closer into the latest trends, Friday night. I intend to look my best, of course.”</p><p>
  <em>If that kid hurts Nia I will tear out their intestines and feed them to them, piece by piece. </em>
</p><p>“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Lena stated dryly. “You do adore fashion.”</p><p>Nia smiled much brighter then and for a moment, Lena had a strange feeling burying itself in her heart. It was similar to the one she had around Kara, except it wasn’t remotely romantic and definitely not sexual. Lena felt as though if she were to leave National City, she wanted to take Nia with her. At first, them being sisters was a lie created by Nia, but now Lena found being related to that brat wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.</p><p>The happier Nia appeared, the stronger Lena’s urge to hug her became, which was gross. Vampires weren’t much for embraces, aside from rare occasions. Reign never batted an eye about hugging another vampire, but she acted as the mother hen, and her coven was precious to her, especially the twins.</p><p>“You’re staring,” Nia noted. “And you’re smiling.”</p><p>“Can’t I be happy for my sister?”</p><p>Nia laughed, but when Lena didn’t join in, she stopped. “I’ll gag if you hug me,” the teenage vampire warned, though her voice lacked disgust.</p><p>“What’s that?” Lena whispered, cupping her hand behind the shell of her ear. “Is that a challenge I hear?”</p><p>“Lena…” Nia jumped up from the bed and stepped back with her hands held up. “Don’t you dare.”</p><p>Lena sped through the hall, chasing after Nia, all the while the sound of Reign’s laughter reached her ears louder than the other noises at the mansion.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The water lapped at Lena’s feet. She gazed at the moon as it shone onto her skin. The beach was peaceful at night, quiet, away from the general population, and others she needed an escape from sometimes. But then she heard someone behind her and wanted to wade into the ocean so she could disappear, even if just for an hour or a couple of minutes. She hated how little privacy vampires had because if it wasn’t the surroundings flooding Lena’s senses, it was another immortal, seeking her company.</p><p>In that aspect, vampires weren’t so different from humans. Nobody liked loneliness, to be alone in the world, and while Lena often tried to tell herself in the past she found peace in roaming the earth on her own, it was a lie. Vampires were capable of love and tears of sadness or joy and everything else that resembled a shred of humanity.</p><p>“I am sorry I withheld the truth for so long,” Lucy spoke while she tried to put her hand on Lena’s shoulder, but Lena moved aside.</p><p>Lena scoffed. “Are you sorry you didn’t tell me from the start or sorry I found out?” she quipped, crossing her arms.</p><p>“Magdalena,-”</p><p>“Lena,” Lena corrected with a sharp glare. “My name is Lena.”</p><p>“Lena,” Lucy sighed. “You are my family. It is my desire we behave as such. Give me a chance, I beg of you.”</p><p>
  <em>Blood does not a family make. </em>
</p><p>“We all make mistakes,” Lena admitted, nodding. “But you’ve had centuries to come clean, so don’t act surprised if I can’t forgive you in this one.”</p><p>The words tasted harsh and bitter on her tongue, but Lena couldn’t let go of the pain. Every time she saw Lucy’s face, she was reminded of the person who turned her without asking, who took away her choice and spent centuries hiding why. Lena wasn’t sure whether to love or hate Lucy anymore, though her heart appeared to have settled on both.</p><p>Lena closed her eyes and thought about Kara, and perhaps for her, Lena could one day find it in herself to truly forgive Lucy for everything she did. It didn’t make much of a difference which family member Lucy was, but the fact she had to go and lie about it did.</p><p>“Am I worthy of Kara’s forgiveness for my dishonesty when I cannot come to terms with yours?” Lena voiced in a whisper, gazing into her grandmother’s tear-filled eyes.</p><p>“My sweet child,” Lucy replied, cupping Lena’s cheeks, “I believe love overcomes all.”</p><p>Lena’s eyes pricked while hands she knew all too well caressed her face with the tenderness of a mother. “You should have asked what <em>I</em> wanted before you bit me,” she cried out, sinking to her knees in the wet sand. “You had no right to decide for me. I would never turn someone without their consent and I need you to promise me something. Swear to me you’ll never turn Kara.”</p><p>Lucy let herself fall to her knees. “I swear it,” she uttered, combing her fingers through Lena’s hair. “Will you return home soon?” Lucy questioned while her eyes briefly flickered up at the sky. “The darkness shall fade soon.”</p><p>“My home is not with you,” Lena whispered while she pulled away. “I will be back before the sun rises because I have no intention of leaving Kara without saying goodbye. I would never take that choice away from her, I’m not like you.”</p><p>Lucy inhaled a shuddering breath. She smiled as she got up and when she left the beach, Lena felt a piece of her heart shatter along with her grandmother.</p><p>Grudges were tainted poison and the longer Lena held on to hers, the more it sickened her. She had to release her anger and allow peace to enter her heart, but it felt like an insurmountable bridge to cross. For every shred of rage she kicked to the curb, more hatred boiled in her veins.</p><p>Lena’s throat ached until it burned, though rather than feeding on a human and killing them, she stole a couple of blood bags from the hospital. Her murdering days were in the past and she planned on keeping it that way. Lena had more than enough sins to atone for, but she knew her soul was doomed either way. There was no redemption for someone like her.</p><p>Lena walked into the ocean, tipped her body back, and floated on the surface.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Lose me in the dark ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Drag me to the deep ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ Let your water wash over me ♪</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena walked toward Kara’s door when she heard the unmistaken screams of her girlfriend. They didn’t sound like the kind she made in bed when Lena ate her out or the adrenalin rush type when she took Kara for a ride on her motorcycle. Lena fumbled with the key and groaned when it slipped past her fingers. The delicate metal thing ended up on the floor, forcing her to pick it up and unlock the door as fast as she could. For a solid second, Lena considered kicking it in and playing it off as added strength in a moment of need. Mortals were capable of such things if their life or another hung in the balance.  </p><p>But then Kara used her voice and Lena had to rethink her options.</p><p>“No, no, no!” Kara yelled while her footsteps followed. “Get that thing away from me, Imra!”</p><p>Lena’s eyebrows creased together. She was five minutes early, yes, but she had no idea Kara had her best friend over. Lena had done well to avoid the human for the past five months, ever since Imra put an end to her short-lived relationship with Gayle. Or well, Psi, but whatever.</p><p>“Any last words?” Imra questioned with an air of laughter.</p><p>“Yes,” came Kara’s response, “pineapples are gross.”</p><p>“For a food lover, you severely lack taste.”</p><p>“Clearly you haven’t properly checked out my girlfriend.”</p><p>
  <em>Are you always such a flatterer in my absence, darling?</em>
</p><p>Lena meant to go inside, she did. She had the key in her hand, but she decided to remain in the hall a little bit longer to hear what else Kara had to say. Lena bet that lovable dork was bright red by now because she heard it in Kara’s voice, in the way she spoke with confidence yet carried an undertone of shyness.</p><p>“I slept with Maggie,” Imra announced.</p><p>Lena rolled her eyes at the change of topic, though on the other hand, she was grateful Imra had kept her secret when she expected much less from someone who dumped a woman for being a vampire. Then again, additional reasons were mentioned, and perhaps that human had a sense of honor, of understanding it wasn’t her place to reveal the truth to Kara.</p><p>“I thought you already did,” Kara replied. “I mean you…you went on a road trip together this summer.”</p><p>“We’ve been taking things slow.”</p><p>“Do you love her?”</p><p>Imra sighed. “I do.”</p><p>Lena felt the conversation had grown too private for her to intercept and on top of that, she didn’t wish to be late. It wasn’t her style to show up past the time she said she would, so she used her key and knocked, to make her presence known.</p><p>The living room was empty, in a sense. Kara wasn’t in it and neither was Imra or the cat, but there were orange and black balloons on the floor. A plastic skeleton hung on the wall, surrounded by fake cobwebs with spiders in them. A carved out pumpkin stood in the middle of the table with a crooked mouth and triangle eyes. Laughter boomed from the bathroom and a couple of seconds later, Imra walked out the door, backwards while she mumbled things at Kara about a candy-induced sugar rush.</p><p>“Lena,” Imra acknowledged as she bumped into the vampire. She stepped closer until they were nose to nose. “Are you ever going to tell her?”</p><p>
  <em>How rude not to properly greet me first. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s jaw tensed up. “Yes,” she whispered, of course she had to. Whether that human knew or not, she owed Kara the truth. “I made a promise I intend to keep,” Lena assured Imra with a thin smile.</p><p>“You’ve been together for six months,” Imra pointed out in a low hiss, and perhaps that was a long time for mortals, but it wasn’t to vampires. “You can’t wait forever. Whatever happens, must happen soon. I’m not saying this to split you up. I’m saying this because she’s my best friend and you’re lying to her. She has the right to know and to make a choice.”</p><p>“What if I break her heart?” Lena pondered with a shudder. “What if this hurts her deeply?”</p><p>“Then you’ll have to live with that.”</p><p>“I will tell her,” Lena promised once more. “Soon,” she added, sighing.</p><p>Imra opened her mouth, snapped it shut, and narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“Heeey,” Kara spoke cheerfully as she bounced into the room. “Guess what I’m supposed to be?” she asked Lena with a laugh while she set down a broom.</p><p>Imra spun around, smiling as if nothing happened. “God, you actually went for the broom,” she commented with a chuckle. “That does so not look like the Nimbus 3000.”</p><p>“B-but…I made it myself,” Kara replied with a pout before turning to Lena. “Take a guess,” Kara insisted, gesturing her free hand at her outfit for the night.</p><p>Lena had gathered so far the broom was meant to be a Nimbus 3000, though she knew nothing of different brands, and was somewhat astonished humans still used those when loud vacuums appeared in every mortal’s home. Oh, how she missed the days of yore, where humans grew their own vegetables, milked cows on their farm, washed their clothes in the river, and were free of the addiction of technology.</p><p>Kara was clad in a black robe that stopped four inches short of her ankles. There was an emblem attached to the fabric, on the right side of her chest, of a badger with a yellow background. The same one was found on the yellow scarf with spaced out black stripes wrapped around Kara’s neck. But the silly large outfit didn’t grasp Lena’s attention as much as Kara’s proud smile for the broom she made out of a long stick and shorter ones, secured with a piece of wire.</p><p>“A chimney sweeper,” Lena guessed, smiling when Kara’s jaw dropped.</p><p>“I’m a witch!” Kara declared with a huff. “I’m representing my house.”</p><p>“She’s a Hufflepuff,” Imra supplied, whatever that was supposed to mean.</p><p>Lena blinked, uncertain why that human aided her when she believed Imra to detest her and all other vampires alike. Perhaps mortals were much more complex than Lena thought they were. Imra hadn’t disclosed her secret and while she was stern earlier, Imra didn’t threaten or blackmail Lena.</p><p>“I sure am,” Kara confirmed with a proud smile. “And it’s a lot better than dressing up as…as…,” she said while she observed the cape around Lena’s neck.</p><p>
  <em>Nia has ridiculed me, hasn’t she?</em>
</p><p>Lena should have known better than to take that rebellious vampire on her word. Nia insisted on her outfit for the night, claimed it was appropriate for Halloween. Lena failed to see the appeal, although, on the bright side, a night like this did allow her kind to blend in better and obscured them from mortals’ curiosity.</p><p>“Dracula?” Kara ventured, frowning. “A vampire?”</p><p>“I’m a vampire,” Lena confirmed, and in saying those words, she felt a weight being lifted from her chest.</p><p>But she cheated because this wasn’t a confession. Lena’s secret remained intact and now she had a taste of what it was like to voice the truth. It sounded easy and it didn’t take more than two seconds, and yet she knew revealing her identity would be much harder. Lena had no idea what was going to happen afterward, which scared her every day, fearfully unsure if there would be a tomorrow with Kara. Lena wished she could trade her speed or her strength or both for a glimpse into the future.</p><p>“Perhaps I should change,” Lena considered aloud, although being herself for one night was the kind of freedom she needed. “This cape was Nia’s idea,” she sighed, grasping the sides of the black silk.</p><p>“No, no, don’t change,” Kara uttered while she shook her head. “I like you as a vampire it’s very sexy.”</p><p>“And that’s my cue to wait outside,” Imra announced, winking at Kara who blushed.</p><p>“Hey, no fair,” Kara huffed. “It’s not like you walked in on me about to eat Lena out.”</p><p>Lena arched a brow. It was interesting to her to hear where Kara’s mind was at.</p><p>Imra guffawed. “Maggie and I were kissing, nothing else happened in the pizzeria.”</p><p>“Speaking of which,” Imra added. “I should go because she’s waiting for me.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Children walked the streets, some covered in sheets, pretending to be ghosts, while others were witches, wolves, and all sorts of other things. But one thing was certain, they were meant to look like monsters. Some went from door to door in groups while others were accompanied by a parent or an older sibling. The majority of them gushed about candy in between shouting trick or treat.</p><p>“Boys and girls of every age,” Kara sang. She wriggled her fingers and grinned all slyly. “Wouldn’t you like to see something strange?”</p><p>“I am not familiar with this song,” Lena admitted, arching a brow, wondering if she should be.</p><p>Kara gasped the way she did whenever Lena said something that truly shocked her as if it was that impossible to believe Lena didn’t know every song in existence.</p><p>“It’s from the nightmare before Christmas!” Kara declared. “How can you not be familiar with this fine cultural dish?”</p><p>“Cultural dish,” Lena snorted, shaking her head at her dork of a girlfriend. “Did you know Halloween originated mostly from Ireland? How’s that for culture?”</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Kara laughed. “I bet you know a lot about Halloween because you’re a history nerd, but that doesn’t take away the horror that is you not knowing that song.”</p><p>“You think that is horrific?” Lena replied with a smile. “How about the terrible outfits people are wearing or the cheap decorations?”</p><p>“Play nice, Lena,” Kara insisted, gently elbowing her side. “Halloween is my second favorite holiday of the year and maybe it does look a little silly, but what’s life without joy?”</p><p>
  <em>Life would be nothing without you. </em>
</p><p>“I’ll behave,” Lena promised, pecking Kara on the cheek.</p><p>Lena smiled while Kara hummed a song, enjoying the way Kara lived her life, how she sang, and danced regardless of whom was watching. It ignited a spark within Lena to follow in her footsteps and to allow herself to let go more around Kara. Fun wasn’t bound by age.</p><p>“I would like to see something strange,” Lena mused with a wink. “Will you teach me the song?”</p><p>“Yes!” Kara cheered while she jumped into Lena’s arms, grinning when Lena caught her. “We could watch the movie together tonight!” Kara suggested because of course, that was her next move.</p><p>Lena wouldn’t mind ditching the crowded streets in favor of going to Kara’s apartment where they could spend time together, privately until that wretched sun ruined the night. But since it was the end of October, the nights lasted longer, which gave her more time to be with Kara in person.</p><p>Kara sang the song from that movie she mentioned again, smiling like an adorable dork while she did. She waved at children left and right, eyes shining with pure joy when they responded. After a bit of fumbling in a pocket underneath her robe, she pulled out a bag of candy.</p><p>Lena sighed quietly to herself while Kara handed out the pieces to the children they passed. Apparently, not accepting such things from strangers had gone lost in time or perhaps Halloween gave the illusion of safety. Humans of various ages wandered the streets, unable to recognize the vampires among them, despite the blood on their clothes. Lena saw Harley licking her chin clean as she went after a group of kids. They briefly made eye-contact, in which Lena shook her head.</p><p>“Excuse me for a while,” Lena murmured, pecking Kara’s cheek.</p><p>Kara crouched down in front of a boy and a dog. “I love your matching suits,” she praised, smiling at basic sheets they had over their heads. “Is this your best friend?” she questioned the boy, nodding her head at the dog.</p><p>Lena walked up to Reign, who had the audacity of roaming around with the twins. She grabbed Reign by the wrist, yanked her to the side of a house, and shoved her against the brick wall. Lena used her left arm to push it against Reign’s throat while she narrowed her eyes.</p><p>“What the hell, Reign,” Lena hissed under her breath, staring at the elder vampire, who didn’t move. “Call them off, all of them.”</p><p>Reign wrinkled her nose while she studied Lena’s face. Within a second, Reign grasped Lena’s arm, forced it down, spun Lena around, and wound her arm around Lena’s neck while her body pressed into Lena’s from behind.</p><p>“Why do you care?” Reign whispered, easing her grip. “Kara shall not be harmed, you know this.”</p><p>
  <em>We need not be murderers. </em>
</p><p>Lena clenched her teeth and growled as she faced the elder again. “There are children present,” she pointed out with venom on her tongue. “<em>Many</em> children,” she clarified, sickened by the thought she wouldn’t have batted an eye in the past.</p><p>But the past was gone, and Lena had the right to choose to rise above it, to evolve.</p><p>“Those mini mortals have their entire life ahead of them,” Lena defended as she heard the other vampires gather near them, no doubt having heard everything. “How would you feel if it was your child being killed?” she asked calmly, and at that moment, Reign’s eyes glossed over.</p><p>“But that already happened, didn’t it?” Lena pressed because of course, it had.</p><p>All the pieces clicked together in Lena’s head from Reign suddenly turning children into vampires to be a mother, to the time the twins went missing and Reign broke down how they couldn’t die because they were supposed to be immortal, heavily suggesting she had a child as a mortal or a few, who died.</p><p>Reign snapped her fingers. With it, the others left.</p><p>“I had a daughter named Ruby,” Reign whispered, lip quivering. “And my name was Samantha. We lived a modest life in a village until the vampires came. They were horrible men. My child never stood a chance. I failed to protect her,” she shared, clenching her jaw while she backed away. “If you speak to anyone of this, I will rip out your heart and crumble it to dust in front of those you hold dear.”</p><p>With a sigh, Lena cast her head down. “Reign, I…,” she uttered as she lifted her chin, but the elder vampire was gone.  </p><p>
  <em>I’m so sorry you carry such grief. </em>
</p><p>“Lena?” Kara called out. “Lena, where are you?”</p><p>Lena snuck up behind Kara and covered her eyes. “If it isn’t my fair maiden,” Lena mused, smiling as Kara chuckled. “Oh how I yearn for a taste,” Lena sighed, running the tip of her finger down Kara’s neck, “of thy divine blood.”</p><p>“Divine,” Kara laughed. “Baby, you’re not cut out to be a vampire when blood makes you squeamish.”</p><p>“On the contrary,” Lena replied, kissing the underside of Kara’s jaw.</p><p>“Okay,” Kara mumbled as she turned around. “You have sharp teeth, I’ll give you that.”</p><p>“I’m also cold,” Lena added, cupping Kara’s cheeks, raising a brow when Kara shuddered.</p><p>“That too,” Kara admitted, nodding. “And you’re pale and I think you really hate the sun because you never go out with me when the sun is up,” she spoke with a smile.</p><p>There was no change in Kara’s heartbeat or any indication that she was about to figure it out when part of Lena wanted her to gather the evidence she already had. Kara had to know, the truth swirled in her head somewhere, and all she had to do was believe vampires weren’t a myth.</p><p>
  <em>All she needs is a nudge. </em>
</p><p>“Perhaps we should go to your place,” Lena suggested. “There’s something you should know, something I should have told you sooner.”</p><p>“That sounds a little ominous,” Kara noted with a chuckle. “How many skeletons in your closet do you have?”</p><p>Lena bit her tongue because while it was a joke, the answer wasn’t. Her past was laden with baggage and a path of destruction. She wished someone would have been strong-willed enough then to stand up against her, but in the end, she was responsible for her actions, and going up against Reign didn’t make everything right as rain. It didn’t wipe out Lena’s past or absolved her sins. All she could do was never kill again and avoid as many deaths as possible by encouraging other vampires to spare lives.</p><p>“This is Halloween, this is Halloween!” Kara sang on their way to her place. “Pumpkins scream in the dead of night.”</p><p>Lena believed if pumpkins were capable of screaming, they would scream at the poor job humans did of carving them. It was a tradition she failed to understand, though she saw Reign trying her hand at it before with the twins, during their first year of being vampires, but they turned it into mush instead.</p><p>“After you, miss smexy,” Kara said upon opening her door.</p><p>Lena raised a brow. “Miss smexy?” she repeated, tilting her head when Kara simply smiled. “What does smexy mean?” Lena asked then with a slight frown on her face.</p><p>“It means you’re smart and sexy, hence smexy.”</p><p>Lena chuckled lightly. “You’re quite the flatterer, darling.”</p><p>Lena stepped inside and took a moment to spot the cat with the silly name. The furry little animal appeared soundly asleep, curled up in his basket. She liked to think she won him over, just as much as she had Kara. Lena almost stopped disliking the critter, though she supposed there were worse creatures in the world, which her mirror confirmed every time she looked at her own reflection.</p><p>Kara put her makeshift broom aside and sat down on her couch. “So,” she spoke, smiling up, “what’s on your mind?”</p><p>Lena took Kara’s hand in hers as she joined her. “As you know, I have been acting somewhat strange,” Lena started, clearing her throat.</p><p>“You have, but I don’t mind,” Kara shrugged a shoulder, smiling. “I like you for who you are, quirks and all, and I always will. Nobody’s perfect and nobody has to be.”</p><p>“I need to be honest with you,” Lena declared. “I’m a vampire.”</p><p>“I know,” Kara replied, smiling. “And I’m a witch.”</p><p>
  <em>Your innocence baffles me. </em>
</p><p>“No, Kara,” Lena sighed. “I’m…I’m a vampire,” she repeated, though this time she lifted Kara’s hand to her chest, adding, “I have no pulse because I genuinely am a vampire. I have been for a long, long time and I should have told you sooner.”</p><p>Kara’s mouth was agape while her heart raced with such a rush the other sounds faded into oblivion.</p><p>“Kara?” Lena prompted, swallowing at the heavy feeling that overcame her at the possibility of watching her world crumble. “Kara?” she tried again, a little louder this time. “Can you please say something, anything?”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Of course, it's a cliffhanger. I'm just that nice. :-)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>My girlfriend is a vampire. I’m dating a vampire. Oh my God, I’m dating a vampire!</em>
</p><p>Kara wondered if it was a joke, just another one of Lena’s attempts to tease her and laugh at the look on her face. But the whole no pulse thing checked out because Kara tried to find one, without success, which pretty much convinced her Lena wasn’t kidding.</p><p>“So you’re a vampire? Like in Twilight?” Kara queried, eyes round. “That’s so cool!”</p><p>Kara loved those movies and even read the books, and she was definitely team Edward or rather, team Bella because Bella was her absolute favorite. Although, Alice was a strong runner up for that position, so much so, Kara would have preferred it if Bella had ended up with Alice instead of one of those macho boys who were too busy bickering about which one of them was capable of bench-pressing the most weight.</p><p>Lena’s nostrils flared. “I do not sparkle!” she snapped, eyes wide and indignant. Her lips curled back over her teeth while her shoulders rose as she bent her arms and held them slightly behind her body.</p><p>Kara gulped. “L-Lena?”</p><p>Kara wasn’t frightened per se, for she didn’t believe Lena could ever harm her, though Lena did look scary when she got mad. “I didn’t mean to offend you,” Kara winced, ducking her head.</p><p>“Kara, I…,” Lena spoke, voice trembling.</p><p>Lena was right next to Kara one moment and on the other side of the coffee table in the next. It reminded Kara of the time at the park, where she was about to twist her ankle when running down that hill until Lena was suddenly up there with her, catching her, steadying her.</p><p>
  <em>Please don’t run away again. </em>
</p><p>Kara bit her lip while she recalled each moment where Lena rushed out the door or suddenly had to go because something triggered her flight response. But now, Kara knew a lot of that was probably related to Lena being a vampire.</p><p>“Lena?” Kara spoke with a gentle smile. “I’m sorry I compared you to vampires who sparkle in the sun.”</p><p>“No,” Lena sighed, shaking her head. She walked around the table and sat down again. “I’m the one who’s sorry. You’re understandably curious and it’s not okay for me to snap at you when you never meant to be rude. I am sorry.”</p><p>Kara reached for Lena’s hand and laced their fingers together, deciding to be a little more careful going forward. In hindsight, Kara supposed the whole diamond skin was a little laughable and silly because when she watched the first movie with her sister and her best friend, they both agreed that aspect was utterly ridiculous. Alex also had remarks about the love triangle, but that was mainly because she rooted for the girls instead of the guys.</p><p>Imra, on the other hand, cussed when Bella chose Edward over Jacob, the hot werewolf guy whom Imra very much appreciated seeing without his shirt on. Kara had laughed with her best friend how Edward paled in comparison to Jacob, a moment of fun that had Alex rolling her eyes at them.</p><p>“Okay so, um, you don’t…you know, in the sun,” Kara coughed. “Do you, ah, burn?” she questioned, grimacing at the thought.</p><p>Kara’s next best guess was a daylight ring created by a witch, whose existence she didn’t think possible until now, although there was no jewelry on Lena’s hands, and Kara never saw her outside when the sun was up.</p><p>“The tips of my hair which are grey are an unfortunate side effect of my greatest weakness, namely the sun,” Lena sighed as she ran her fingers through her locks. “If the sun catches me, I will turn into ash.”</p><p>Kara shuddered and while teasing Lena about her grey hair was funny before, it wasn’t a laughing matter now. She wouldn’t have joked about it as often as she did if she had known why. Kara loved the sun because of its warmth and brightness and the natural vitamins it provided her with, and it was a bitter pill to swallow it was deadly to Lena.</p><p>Kara couldn’t imagine being forcibly tied to the night by some invisible power. It sounded horrible, like endless darkness. Lena didn’t even have a window in her bedroom and that hall was quite dark as well, and the only windows which were downstairs were overgrown by plants.</p><p>“Oh, wait,” Kara whispered, gasping. “Is this why you taped sheets in front of my window when you spent the night?”</p><p>“Yes, the migraine was but an excuse,” Lena confirmed. “And my liquid diet-”</p><p>“Yup, mhmm, got that one,” Kara nodded while she tried not to think about blood, which only made her think about blood more.</p><p>
  <em>So this is why she was so squeamish at the blood bank. </em>
</p><p>Kara remembered the time she playfully bit Lena’s lip and got nicked in response. She bled a little bit then and Lena sucked her finger clean, after which Lena appeared nauseous and fled to the bathroom.</p><p>“When you bit my lip…,” Kara dredged up. “Did you not bite hard enough or…?”</p><p>“A bite can’t turn you,” Lena replied, “not without the other steps of the process.”</p><p>“Process, hmm, ‘kay,” Kara nodded. “I suppose a caterpillar goes through some things first, too, before becoming a butterfly. Not that this is like that, like…at all. You have no pulse so you’re dead. I mean, not dead-dead, sort of alive-dead, or a walking dead person who isn’t a zombie.”</p><p>Lena’s eyebrows creased together. “Did you just…call me a walking corpse?”</p><p>“Technically no,” Kara winced, lifting a finger. “You’re far too beautiful to be one of those,” she blurted out, but a split second later, she heard the way that might have sounded. “One of the corpses,” she clarified with a cough. “Not a vampire. I mean, not that you have to look a certain way to be one, erm, I wouldn’t really know. You look human, which I guess you must have been someday before you became a vampire.”</p><p>“You don’t really act human though,” Kara realized with a hum. “Your behavior was always a little off and some of it didn’t make any sense to me, but now that I know you’re a vampire, it’s like the puzzle pieces are falling onto the table for me to fit together so I can see the whole picture. Before, those pieces were hidden, kind of out of reach, like they were there and not there at the same time.”</p><p>
  <em>What am I saying? My girlfriend is a vampire!</em>
</p><p>“Okay so, you’re not in your twenties,” Kara guessed.</p><p>Kara choked down a groan because out of all the things she could have blurted out next, she just had to touch on one of the most sensitive topics for women. On the other hand, she was genuinely curious as to how long Lena had been a vampire and if they aged at all because Lena did have small pieces of grey in the tips of her hair.</p><p>“On the outside I am,” Lena spoke. “Twenty-six is my set age.”</p><p>“How long have you been a vampire? What year were you born? Not that I can’t do the math and-”</p><p>“I was born in 1206,” Lena revealed with a sigh.</p><p>“Holy guacamoly,” Kara gasped. “You’re 800 years old! I mean, ah, you age well, and uh, 24? 26? 69? 800? Who can tell the difference?”</p><p>“Smooth, darling.”</p><p>If only Kara had the power to become invisible so she could spare herself further embarrassment or to turn back time just enough so she could stop herself from shoving her foot into her mouth. Age was a sensitive topic for many people and she already stooped to the point of calling Lena a walking corpse. Not intentionally, of course, but if she was honest, that was what it boiled down to when she compared Lena to the walking dead, but in like a beautiful way. Lena was a vampire, so obviously she was frozen in time for all of eternity.</p><p>Lena was pretty much Cinderella, minus the sleep, among other details. Kara pondered if all vampires were naturally beautiful, but Lena was the only one she met, the only one she knew of.</p><p>“Sorry,” Kara laughed, scratching the back of her neck. “I just…wow… it’s a lot to take in and I have so much to ask, and all of the words are bundling up in my head and they come out of my mouth at random, and it probably makes me sound all freaked out when I’m not trying to be. I’m not saying I am freaked out, but it’s not like you’ve announced the weather or something, so I guess part of me kind of is freaked out?”</p><p>
  <em>How does someone live that long? </em>
</p><p>Despite the fact Kara just learned, she struggled to wrap her head around the possibility of it all. Maybe she was asleep and had a really whacky dream for a change rather than a frustratingly hot one that turned her on. Then again, Lena was in it, so anything was possible.</p><p>Lena smiled. “You’re doing well,” she assured, moving the back of her fingers down Kara’s jaw.</p><p>“Okay so…,” Kara whispered. “If, um, not if,” she mumbled, clicking her tongue. “You <em>are</em> a vampire,” she punctuated, a little relieved Lena kept smiling at her, “is this why you don’t eat?”</p><p>“Accurate,” Lena hummed. “When I drink anything that isn’t blood…,” she explained, pursing her lips together when Kara made a face.</p><p>Kara tucked her hair behind her ears a couple of times, wrung her hands, exhaled, and took Lena’s hand in hers again. “Sorry,” Kara uttered while she gave Lena’s hand a squeeze, “you were saying?”</p><p>“For someone who donates blood, you are quite squeamish hearing the word,” Lena commented with a light laugh.</p><p>“Hardy har har,” Kara muttered, playfully nudging Lena’s side.</p><p>Kara thought about telling Lena why she grimaced, but she had a strong feeling Lena already knew it was the consumption of blood that was a tough reality for Kara to swallow. She couldn’t wrap her head around someone drinking blood to sustain themselves because it had a coppery taste and it just didn’t sound enjoyable.</p><p>
  <em>Oh God, that’s what I must have tasted on her tongue when we kiss sometimes!</em>
</p><p>Kara’s mind jumped to how Lena made a habit of bringing her own thermos to drink from, which had to be where she kept her blood, to feed right in front of her, and keep her secret. Kara wondered what other clues she missed, but now that she knew the truth, it didn’t really matter anymore.</p><p>Lena exhaled a deep sigh. “I vomit blood when I consume water or another liquid that is not blood. And if I were to eat, I would lose a tooth.”</p><p>“Wow,” Kara breathed out, mouth agape. She blinked and cleared her throat. “Wait, but what about the popcorn? I saw you…no wait, I heard you…”</p><p>“I stuffed some into my pockets to pretend I was eating.”</p><p>Kara shook her head, smiling. “Someone really doesn’t want you to try my pasta, huh?”</p><p>“Well, if I were to take your comment seriously, there is someone responsible for my being a vampire.”</p><p>“The one who turned you,” Kara gathered, rolling her lips into her mouth when Lena nodded. “Was it…did it…,” Kara tried, but the words got tangled in the back of her throat because she wasn’t sure how Lena would react.</p><p>Kara had no idea if becoming a vampire caused pain as the venom spread, the way it did in some of the movies and such she saw. She wasn’t hurt when Lena bit her lip, so that part was probably painless unless Lena had to summon her venom to her teeth or something or bite harder and deeper. Kara couldn’t bring herself to pose the question, but she hoped Lena hadn’t suffered a great deal to enter immortality.</p><p>“Erm…,” Kara uttered, “do you drink animal blood?”</p><p>Lena let out a noise akin to a gag. “We can’t consume anything other than human blood,” she whispered, placing her free hand on her knee, nails digging through her pants.</p><p>
  <em>Please don’t do that. </em>
</p><p>Kara hovered her hand above Lena’s, following Lena’s gaze as Lena’s eyes dropped to her hand. Lena exhaled and relaxed her fingers, allowing Kara the chance to slip her palm under Lena’s and entwine their fingers.</p><p>“Does your family know – wait, are they…?” Kara pondered, eyes widening a little because Lena hinted at there being more, which there had to be because someone did that to Lena.</p><p>Kara had a feeling in her gut something about being a vampire didn’t sit well with Lena, which had her doubting the one who turned her gave her much of a choice. For all Kara knew, Lena was brutally slaughtered and left to die or maybe it had to do with war and vengeance. But whatever it was, Kara sensed a darkness that clung to Lena and grabbed hold of her.</p><p>At gunpoint, Kara would swear this wasn’t the life Lena wanted. No, Lena said something about a cottage in Ireland, which sounded like a complicated dream for a vampire.</p><p>“We are all vampires,” Lena confirmed.</p><p>“A-all…? Even…” Kara gulped. “Even the twins?”</p><p>
  <em>No, no, no, this can’t be real. They’re children. </em>
</p><p>“Unfortunately, yes. It was Reign’s choice.”</p><p>Kara’s eyebrows creased together. “Reign as in Rey?”</p><p>“Yes, around you, we have introduced her as Rey,” Lena answered, and while cloaking names seemed unnecessary, Kara supposed they had their reasons.</p><p>Although if they wished to be secretive with a bit more success, they had a lot to work on. Lena didn’t dredge up the liquid diet excuse until after she already showed questionable behavior.</p><p>“I remember one of the twins saying something about the vein in my neck when I first met them or I guess kind of when I met them for the second time because I fainted the first time,” Kara recalled with a laugh. But then reality sank in. “Did they want to bite me?”</p><p>“I believe so, yes,” Lena confirmed, chewing her lip. “However, fear not, everyone at the mansion knows not to harm you,” she spoke, radiating power as her face turned serious while she caressed Kara’s cheek. “Nobody will ever lay a finger on you.”</p><p>Kara smiled and while she considered reminding Lena she worked out, she doubted it made a difference in a world where vampires were real. It didn’t matter how much she could bench or if she carried around mace because in the end, if someone actually wanted to hurt her, they would find a way. But Kara didn’t have any enemies or anyone she was at odds with.</p><p>“Can I tell my sister?” Kara asked, completely genuine and innocent, though she had a feeling Alex wouldn’t take the news lightly.</p><p>Lena dropped her hand.  “No!”</p><p>“Um, okay, I suppose that’s fair,” Kara mumbled, considering it wasn’t her secret. On the other hand, it was kind of a big deal. “I wish I had someone I could talk to about this,” she sighed, “someone, erm, you know…”</p><p>“Human,” Lena filled in. “And there is someone, actually,” she said with a sigh much heavier than Kara’s.</p><p>Kara gestured her hands around while she waited for the other shoe to drop. But then she recalled Leslie, who was in a relationship with Lucy, who was a vampire because she lived in the mansion, and Lena already confirmed everyone within those walls was a vampire.</p><p>“Imra,” Lena revealed, wrinkling her nose. “Imra knows.”</p><p>“Wait…how…what? My best friend knows you’re a vampire?”</p><p>“Yes, she…” Lena paused, smiling thinly. “She used to be involved with Gayle, who is also a vampire, and lives at the mansion.”</p><p>“But,” Kara replied with a smile, “Gayle has two little…”</p><p>Kara stopped herself and gulped. If Sarah and Zara were vampires, then Anna and Elsa – whom she never met but had heard of through her best friend – were probably vampires, too.</p><p>“Can they age?” Kara wondered, chewing her lip while she thought of Twilight again. “Like, um, do they grow until they’re adults and then freeze in time?”</p><p>“No, it does not work that way. Once a human becomes immortal, they cannot age another day.”</p><p>“I can’t believe Imra knows,” Kara whispered, running her fingers through her hair. “They dated for such a short time and you waited six months to…oh God, you waited six months,” she realized, eyes wide. “Wait, so I can talk about this with my best friend?”</p><p>Lena blinked. “Yes, you can,” she confirmed, shaking her head a little. “How are you feeling about me being a vampire?”</p><p>“Well, um, I’m feeling what I’m feeling,” Kara hummed. “Which is, uh, I don’t really know what I’m feeling? I guess maybe I’m excited? But also shocked and surprised and kind of confused because I didn’t know vampires were real, so if you’re real, who knows what else is out there. I might be right about ghosts living at your house. And what if a werewolf bites you? Is that deadly to you?”</p><p>“Those overgrown dogs do not exist,” Lena responded with a huff of laughter. “No bite, from any creature, can slay a vampire.”</p><p>
  <em>Guess I can’t trust the vampire diaries either. </em>
</p><p>“Can you run really fast?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>Kara hummed. At least some of her fictional knowledge was accurate. “Can you do it backwards though?”</p><p>“Y-I never tried. Can you?”</p><p>“Not very well,” Kara admitted. “So, um, can you see yourself in the mirror?”</p><p>“As much as you can see me. I am not a ghost, Kara.”</p><p>“Okay, okay,” Kara spoke while she held up her hands. “I didn’t mean to make you all pouty,” she teased. “How about I kiss it better?”</p><p>Lena’s lips parted a little. “You’d still kiss me?”</p><p>“How’s that even a question? I’m in love with you, Lena. Of course, I want to kiss you and hold your hand and hug you and cuddle with you and, um, do other intimate things with you.”</p><p>“I think it may be time we have a proper conversation about sex, darling.”</p><p>Kara swallowed, but it went into the wrong pipe. She coughed, pounding her fist against her chest while her cheeks grew hot. “S-sex ri-right, we s-should t-talk about t-that,” she spluttered, breathing a bit easier when her lungs cleared.  </p><p>
  <em>God, kill me now. </em>
</p><p>“Let’s talk about sex, baby,” Kara laughed, humming. “Let’s talk about you and me.”</p><p>“Is a song your means of recovery, my love?”</p><p>“Depends on if it’s working.”</p><p>“Hmm,” Lena whispered. “I am a sucker for that lovely voice of yours,” she sighed softly, combing her fingertips through Kara’s hair.</p><p>Kara smiled at the irony of how she thought about jumping Lena’s bones when they hadn’t had the sex talk yet, which she assumed was important and different from the one she got when she was twelve, which was somewhat scarring and focused an awful lot on how she could help a guy put on a condom.</p><p>Kara shut her eyes and took a breather. She had to stop her mind from going everywhere at once, pulling her from one thought to the next, while not allowing her to prioritize the most important parts. With some effort and concentration, she compartmentalized her thoughts by breaking them into pieces and locking them behind doors until her attention gravitated toward the one she couldn’t ignore.</p><p>“Lena,” Kara whispered, opening her eyes.  “Before we talk about…that,” she prompted, “I want to know why you waited six months to tell me.”</p><p>
  <em>Did she not trust me?</em>
</p><p>“I could tell you how I had some sort of purpose of wanting to protect you, but in the end, it all boils down to fear. I was a coward, too afraid of showing you my true colors. Love was something I didn’t believe in until I met you. Love is a rarity and when our connection grew, I acted selfishly. I didn’t want to lose you, but deep down I knew I had to tell you. I am sorry I waited this long. If you need time alone, I can go.”</p><p>“I guess everyone has secrets,” Kara reasoned while she chewed her lip. “Not quite of that gravity, but still,” she murmured, and fear was something she could relate to. “There was a reason why my ex was such a jerk…I, um, murdered a child,” she shared, swallowing harshly.</p><p>Kara never told anyone about that, not even her sister, <em>especially</em> not her sister. She couldn’t deal with the outcome when she knew how much Alex adored children. At the time, her sister contemplated adoption while her relationship with Maggie had just shattered, so Kara kept it a secret.</p><p>“I was pregnant once,” Kara sighed. “He wanted the baby and I didn’t. I told him beforehand I didn’t want children, but we had a bit too much to drink one night, and one thing led to another, so seven weeks later, I found out I was pregnant. I went to the hospital and had an abortion,” she explained with tears in her eyes.</p><p>“I knew there were other ways,” Kara added, inhaling a shaky breath. “God, I could have had the child and let Alex raise them, I bet she would have loved to. But I didn’t want to go through pregnancy, it just…it’s not me. So there, now you know my true colors, too.”</p><p>Lena placed a hand on Kara’s back. “You did the right thing,” Lena voiced while she moved her hand up and down. “What you do with your body will always be your choice. You aren’t a murderer for terminating a pregnancy you previously stated you never wished to have.”</p><p>“I’m pro-abortion,” Kara declared with a nod, but she felt guilty nonetheless. “May…maybe we should call it a night…,” she whispered, biting the inside of her cheek. “It’s been a long day and it’s getting late, but…I don’t want you to go. I just…I…”</p><p>“I can stay until the night draws to an end,” Lena offered while she snaked her arms around Kara’s waist. “I won’t ever love you less,” she whispered, kissing the crown of Kara’s head, “or judge you for the decisions you have made and for those yet to come.”</p><p>Kara smiled softly, finding comfort in the fact they now knew each other’s best-kept secret. If circumstances were different, she would have pretty much screamed from the rooftops how she was dating a vampire, although she understood Lena’s reservations, and people weren’t always kind toward those they didn’t understand because they were different.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>The first note of the music cracked through the speakers as Imra slammed her gloves together. “Show me what you got, punk,” she said while she stepped onto the mat.</p><p>“Ready to kiss your teeth goodbye so soon?”</p><p>
  <em>Oh God. </em>
</p><p>“Um, Imra…,” Kara coughed, tugging at her best friend’s arm. “You might not want to fight her. She’s…she,” she sighed as she glanced at her other friend. “She’s a vampire, like Lena.”</p><p>Imra’s brows rose. “She told you?” she noted before narrowing her eyes at Leslie. “So you’re one of the cold ones,” Imra hummed, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>“Dunno, am I?” Leslie shrugged. “I’m not the one who dumped her girlfriend. Pretty cold move if you ask me.”</p><p>“She turned her children into vampires,” Imra commented, blinking her eyes, frowning. “They are only six!”</p><p>Kara groaned when those two got into a bickering contest about which one of them lacked warmth the most. Going to the gym tonight was obviously a bad idea and in hindsight, she should have warned Imra sooner she knew about the vampires, and that Leslie was one of them. Kara watched Leslie, whom she had befriended back when Leslie was still human and met with her occasionally for pizza or a walk in the park with Pepper. Lena told Kara how she turned Leslie because Leslie wanted her to, so she could remain frozen in time with Lucy, who was stuck on the set age of twenty while Leslie was twenty-eight.</p><p>Kara felt an involuntary shiver roll down her spine at the fact Lucy was supposedly Lena’s great-grandmother, or so Lena had told her. So technically, Leslie was in a relationship with Lena’s grandmother, who looked like Lena’s sister but wasn’t. Kara had also learned other truths about the family dynamics inside the mansion. What stunned her almost more than the whole Lucy being a great-grandmother was the fact Sarah and Zara shared no blood relation whatsoever with Lena when they looked so much like her.</p><p>“You’re nothing but a weak human,” Leslie bit out, stepping closer toward Imra.</p><p>“Oh, really?” Imra replied, approaching as well. “Let’s wait for the sun and see how you feel then.”</p><p>
  <em>Come on, you guys…</em>
</p><p>“Can you two please cut it out?” Kara sighed aloud. “Stop fighting one another.”</p><p>“She fucking started it!” Leslie growled, jabbing her finger at Imra’s chest, smiling when Imra winced. “If you ever insult me again, you’ll end up with more than a bruise.”</p><p>The door swung open with such force, a part of the brick wall crumbled. Nia walked in, clad in her usual black getup, but with pants this time rather than a short skirt.</p><p>Nia grasped Leslie’s wrist and with a push forced her onto her knees.</p><p>“Touch Imra again and I will bury you six feet under,” Nia hissed before she kicked Leslie down onto the mat completely. Then, the teenager looked over her shoulder and smiled. “You okay, beautiful?” she asked Imra, suddenly at her side.</p><p>Imra huffed out a laugh. “You don’t have to defend me.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Leslie chimed in. “Don’t defend that bitch who spits on our kind.”</p><p>“Oh for fucks sakes,” Imra muttered.</p><p>“I think you should apologize,” Kara spoke up, clearing her throat. “Imra, you shouldn’t have called Leslie a cold one. It clearly hurt her feelings,” she reasoned, pleading with her eyes. “And Leslie, what Imra does with her relationships is none of your business and she’s not weak for being human.”</p><p>Kara needed some air, so she went outside, aware Nia followed her out, all the while hoping Imra and Leslie wouldn’t be at each other’s throat again. Imra acted fine around Lena, but yet part of her behavior led Kara to believe her best friend wasn’t exactly a fan of vampires. The whole child thing disturbed her as well, so that was one thing Kara couldn’t negate.</p><p>“I didn’t come here to break up a fight,” Nia whispered. A smile tugged at her lips when her fingers brushed against Kara’s, just ghosting there with a faint touch. “I wanted to see how you’re holding up. And I wanted to know if…” Nia stopped walking for a second. “If I’m still welcome at your place.”</p><p>“Of course you’re welcome, Nia,” Kara replied, shaking her head while she smiled. “I love you,” she uttered, grasping the teenager’s hand in hers, “you’re my friend, that hasn’t changed. You can visit anytime you want and we can talk about your crush or watch a movie together or paint our nails or do anything else you’d like to do.”</p><p>“Anything, hm?”</p><p>“Nia, no. No way,” Kara laughed, gently shoving the vampire. “I am not watching horror movies with you.”</p><p>“Aw come on, Freddy Krueger isn’t real,” Nia replied, smiling while Kara shuddered. “I wouldn’t put you in actual danger,” she hushed, cupping Kara’s cheeks, “I won’t ever harm you.”</p><p>All of Kara’s amusement drained away when Nia rested her forehead against hers while their eyes met. The air grew too thick to breathe and Kara couldn’t move.</p><p>
  <em>Why is she looking at me as if she’s going to kiss me?</em>
</p><p>“N-Nia…,” Kara whispered with a slight tremble in her voice. “You like Brainy…r-right?”</p><p>Nia backed away and laughed. “Heathens, Kara, Lena was right,” she nodded, “it’s really easy to tease you.”</p><p>“That is so mean,” Kara gasped, working her jaw while the teenager kept laughing. “You shouldn’t play with people’s emotions like that. For a second there I really thought…Oh, God.”</p><p>“I do love you, Kara,” Nia stated. “As a friend and a sister.”</p><p>“You’re the first human I’ve ever cared about,” Nia added. “And now that you know I’m a vampire, we can have some fun. How would you feel about jumping from a rooftop with me? You can put on bubble wrap or whatever you need, and I’ll catch you at the bottom, of course.”</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “Are you out of your mind?” she whispered, eyes wide while Nia simply laughed again. “I am so not doing any of that.”</p><p>“I bet Freddy Krueger sounds appealing now, hm?”</p><p>“You’re worse than my sister.”</p><p>“The tall sexy redhead,” Nia hummed. “I remember her from the bonfire. She was the one with the smoking hot woman on her arm.”</p><p>
  <em>She’s not really seventeen…she’s not really seventeen…she only looks seventeen.</em>
</p><p>“I can’t,” Kara mumbled while she tried to shake the image of Nia flirting with her sister. “We can do a makeover,” Kara suggested in the hopes of getting the teenager to shut up about all of the people she found attractive.</p><p>“We should pass by a hospital or a blood bank first. I’m frickin starving.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kara whispered, blinking. Right, of course, vampires had the whole thirst thing going on. “Does it hurt…?” she pondered, chewing her lip. “Being bitten,” she clarified.</p><p>Kara gathered her hair in her hands and swept it over her right shoulder, exposing the left side of her neck. “I donate blood sometimes and you’re my friend and you’re hungry,” she said while Nia swallowed and stared at her. “You don’t have to steal, not tonight,” Kara insisted with a faint smile. “And I know you care about me, and you definitely don’t strike me as a killer, so…you have my permission to feed.”</p><p>A flicker of red appeared in Nia’s eyes. She licked her lips, circled Kara, and touched the tips of her fingers to Kara’s exposed neck.</p><p>“Tempting offer,” Nia hummed. She wove her fingers through Kara’s hair, smoothing it back in place. “And to answer your question, it does hurt,” the teenager sighed. “But even with your consent, I can’t bite you. Lena’s the only family I’ve ever loved since mine cast me out and I don’t want to lose the relationship I have with her. Besides, you’re my sister, too.”</p><p>Kara swung her arms around Nia’s neck and pulled her close, embracing the little sister she always dreamed of having.</p><p>“Kara,” Nia groaned, wriggling free. “Do you have any idea how fast I could kill you if my thirst takes over? So please, stop being such a cute koala and hug me after I’ve had a drink.”</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>One more to go, folks.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Nia told me what happened last night,” Lena stated with a sigh. “Were you offering to become her blood source?”</p><p>“Um…I-I’m not sure,” Kara mumbled, scratching the back of her neck. She shut the door and went to sit on her couch, biting her lower lip. “Leslie used to be yours, right?”</p><p>“She was,” Lena confirmed, taking place next to Kara.</p><p>Lena had no blood sources left for the time being, which she was fine with. She wasn’t too sure anymore if she still saw the point in revealing her secret to a random mortal, when the odds were she would build a connection again, and inevitably lose them one way or another. Leslie appeared happy to be a vampire, which helped ease Lena’s guilt, and it also meant she didn’t have to say goodbye.</p><p>Lena sucked at goodbyes. Leaving was easier than waiting for someone to die in her arms.</p><p>“I guess I wouldn’t really mind,” Kara said, shrugging a shoulder. “I think I’d see it like donating blood, only to a vampire rather than to a blood bank, and in a way, that still helps someone to survive. But I don’t think Nia is okay with it, she’s…she’s scared she’ll hurt me, even though I know she wouldn’t do that. I know Nia, she’s my little sister, she’d never harm me.”</p><p>
  <em>The brat has grown fond of you, my love. </em>
</p><p>Lena knew there was truth to Kara’s words. Nia would never kill Kara on purpose, though what Kara didn’t know, and what Lena had learned recently from Nia, was the fact Lucy gave Nia the kiss of death to protect Kara on the night Nia invited Kara over to the mansion. If Nia took Kara’s life, whether it was on purpose or not, Nia would die a permanent death. Nia swore she wasn’t going to kill Kara, spell or not, and Lena believed the teenage vampire.</p><p>Nia wasn’t innocent by any means, but she was no demon. A brat who went behind Lena’s back to taunt her, yes. But not the kind of vampire who would stab Lena through the heart by going after the person she loved most in the world. Nia knew firsthand what caring for a human felt like and in the end, Lena was convinced Nia was one of the last people who would ever betray her, unlike Lucy, who had others spying on Kara because she thought it to be helpful, so she could play the hero if Kara’s life was ever endangered.</p><p>“You don’t have to be anyone’s…familiar,” Lena spoke, deciding it was a nicer term than blood source.</p><p>Psi was an odd vampire, but Lena had to admit there were things she got right from the start whereas most vampires didn’t. The newborn didn’t kill or bite humans, regardless of her thirst, and the human who kept her and her children fed was treated like a trusted friend.</p><p>Kara rolled her lips into her mouth. “You had a taste of my blood once,” she brought up, which did nothing to soothe the muted burn in the back of Lena’s throat.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena whispered, licking her lips in a moment of weakness at the memory.</p><p>Kara lifted her right hand to Lena’s face, gently palming her jaw. “Do you want another taste?” Kara questioned through hooded eyes while she leaned in a little. “I’m not afraid, Lena. And I don’t think you should be either because you have more self-control than you give yourself credit for.”</p><p>
  <em>Both of us should be terrified, darling. </em>
</p><p>Lena released a shaky breath. A vampire wasn’t supposed to get cold or hot, but she felt both in equal amounts, switching from one to the other while her lips were but a brush away from Kara’s. One part of Lena really wanted to run out the door and keep running without looking back until she was far, far, far away from this city and wound up on the other side of the ocean or the world. But then the idea of never feeling Kara’s lips on hers again slashed through her soul, and suddenly Lena couldn’t breathe, even though she technically didn’t need to in order to survive.</p><p>Lena gripped her chest when something jabbed at her heart, but all she managed to do was ruin her blouse, which Nia had so carefully helped her put on with those ridiculous small and fragile buttons. Why was she suffocating?</p><p>“Lena?” Kara said, but her voice sounded distorted like it was there and miles away at the same time.</p><p>On top of the pain Lena couldn’t reach as it burrowed inside of her, she noticed her vision blurred, and then her tongue felt too thick to speak.</p><p>
  <em>What’s happening to me?</em>
</p><p>“Lena…hey, listen to me,” Kara whispered. “Focus on the sound of my voice. You’re in my apartment with me. You’re safe. I’m safe. Can you hear my heartbeat?”</p><p>Lena felt a warm touch on her left hand as it was lifted up and connected with more warmth.</p><p>“Can you count the beats for me?” Kara pleaded, voice slightly clearer than before.</p><p>“Your heart is racing,” Lena noted as she felt and heard Kara’s fast pulse. Lena blinked until her eyes met those blue ones she couldn’t get enough of. “Are you okay, darling?”</p><p>“Am I okay?” Kara laughed lightly. “Lena, you…I think you were having a panic attack.”</p><p>Lena arched a brow. “Vampires do not-”</p><p>“Cry? Fall in love? Admit that underneath it all, they’re just as human as the rest of us?” Kara interrupted with a wry smile. “Your emotions haven’t been shut off, Lena. You don’t have to be ashamed for feeling. I won’t ever judge you for being afraid.”</p><p>“Perhaps a distraction will help,” Lena reasoned. “Do you have any terrible movies I haven’t seen yet to educate me with?”</p><p>Kara guffawed. “You’re so going to get it,” she warned while she grabbed the first pillow that was within her reach.</p><p>
  <em>Give it to me, darling. </em>
</p><p>“Oh no, feathers,” Lena gasped. “How on earth shall I ever defend myself from such a fierce weapon?”</p><p>Lena caught the pillow as it was thrown at her. She grinned triumphantly, though not for long when Kara threw herself at her next. Kara wrapped her fingers around Lena’s wrists and pushed her down onto the couch, smiling as they toppled over together. Lena felt Kara’s lips rain all over her face, kissing every square inch, and if this was how Kara was going to attack her every time, Lena wouldn’t mind it happening every night they were together.</p><p>Kara grasped Lena’s chin between her index finger and her thumb, grinning from ear to ear. “Dost thou surrendereth?” the biggest dork on the planet asked, puffing out her chest.</p><p>“Come closer so I can kiss you, you goofball.”</p><p>
  <em>It’s surreal how in love with you I am. You have no idea. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s heart soared in her chest when Kara connected their lips with a faint purr. She placed her hands on Kara’s hips as their mouths flitted together, nipping at Kara’s bottom lip just enough to tease her. Lena eased her grip when she felt Kara shift and almost dropped her hands completely, but she readjusted herself, trusting Kara would tell her if something hurt.</p><p>Kara’s hands slid under Lena’s blouse, hot like stars as they touched her skin. While Kara’s hands inched higher, Lena lowered hers, moaning when she cupped Kara’s ass, pressing their centers closer together. For a vampire, Lena felt surprisingly hot. She felt wetness building between her legs and from the way Kara’s breaths came out in puffs mixed in with the occasional moan here and there, Lena knew her girlfriend to be in a similar state.</p><p>“Maybe we should…,” Kara whimpered, inhaling sharply when Lena kissed her neck, “take this to…to my room.”</p><p>“Yes,” Lena hushed, pecking her girlfriend on the lips.</p><p>“Are you ready for this, Lena?”</p><p>Lena chuckled lightly. “Are you, darling?” she questioned, biting her lip, winking.</p><p>Kara gulped. “Fuck,” she whispered, scrambling up, grasping Lena’s hand as she went. Kara ran her free hand through her hair, muttering “fuck” a couple more times, half-tripping over her feet.</p><p>
  <em>I wish I knew what’s on your mind. </em>
</p><p>There was only so much Lena could detect as a vampire, little details mortals missed, such as the quickening of Kara’s pulse when they kissed or the way her heart skipped a beat when Lena teased her. Then there was her heightened sense of smell, so when Kara became aroused, Lena picked up on it with ease. And while in special circumstances she appreciated her special abilities, Lena preferred the chance of a glimpse into Kara’s mind.</p><p>“Do you want to undress me?” Kara asked, chewing her lip. She took two steps back, nearing the edge of her bed. “You can do it your way,” she breathed out while she dragged her eyes down Lena’s body and slowly back up.</p><p>“My way, hm?” Lena commented, smiling as she approached. “I bet you’ve been fantasizing about me ripping off your clothes,” she guessed, eyes darkening slightly so. “I bet knowing the power I hold turns you on.”</p><p>Kara swallowed when Lena circled her and touched her shoulders. “A l-little,” Kara replied, breathing around a moan. “A lot,” she admitted, cheeks tinged red.</p><p>Lena pressed her front against Kara’s back and used her fingers to explore down the front of Kara’s shoulders, grasping the cotton barrier. Kara’s heart raced, faster when Lena got rid of her shirt with little effort.</p><p>“Like this?” Lena whispered, littering Kara’s neck with kisses while she kept her right hand on Kara’s chest and slid her left hand south.</p><p>“Y-yes,” Kara moaned, leaning into the touch. “Just l-like…Oh, God…like t-that.”</p><p>Lena flicked her thumb at the button of Kara’s pants, smiling upon hearing Kara gasp when she sent it flying across the room.</p><p>“Do you trust me, Kara?”</p><p>Kara nodded, sucking in a breath when Lena spun her around, facing one another. Lena lifted a hand to Kara’s jaw, stroking until Kara’s eyes met hers.</p><p>Kara’s lips cracked into a smile. “I trust you,” she said, covering Lena’s hand with hers. “I trust you, baby,” she repeated, chuckling when Lena failed to contain an eye-roll.</p><p>
  <em>I am a vampire. Baby is too soft a word to describe me as. </em>
</p><p>Lena claimed Kara’s lips, fingers trembling ever so slightly when she nicked Kara’s upper lip. At the first drop of blood breaking free, Lena backed away enough to stare into Kara’s eyes, searching.</p><p>“It’s okay, baby,” Kara hummed, resting a hand on the back of Lena’s neck.</p><p>In slow-motion, Lena caught Kara’s upper lip between hers, alternating between kissing her and sucking small droplets of her blood. Both sent electricity coursing throughout Lena’s body, so much of it, for a second, she thought her heart was about to be jolted to life.</p><p>Lena tore the remains of Kara’s clothes to shreds, followed soon after by hers. She hovered her hand near Kara’s chest, encouraging her with the lightest of touches to lie down, disconnecting their lips for a moment. Lena climbed onto the bed, settling on top of Kara, smiling down at her naked companion.</p><p>“We should discuss a few ground rules,” Lena announced, shaking her head when Kara groaned. “I know, my love,” Lena sighed, aware of her unfortunate timing. “But this is important.”</p><p>“I know,” Kara replied, running her fingertips up Lena’s calves.</p><p>“If I use too much strength, you must tell me,” Lena insisted, leaning down for a brief kiss. “Promise me.”</p><p>Kara smiled up. “I promise,” she vowed, crossing her index finger over her chest.</p><p>“Good girl,” Lena hummed, and she meant it to be a private thought, but it slipped out.</p><p>Lena bit back a moan when Kara writhed underneath her with an increased scent of arousal. Fuck, Lena couldn’t believe she didn’t devour Kara on the night they met. Maybe Kara was right about Lena having more self-control than she thought.</p><p>“I don’t ever want to bite your neck,” Lena stated, permanently refusing the offer. “However…,” she added, biting her lip, “with your permission, I might bite your lip some more or your thighs.”</p><p>Kara swallowed, harsh. “Y-yes,” she whispered, following Lena’s gaze as she glanced at Kara’s thighs. “I consent.”</p><p>“Fuck me,” Lena mumbled, shuddering at the thought of her next taste.</p><p>Kara chuckled. “I will if you’re done talking,” she said, poking out her tongue.</p><p>“You’re an insufferable dork,” Lena smiled before she shut Kara up with a kiss.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena ought to think twice before entering a room, although the living room was supposed to be a neutral space rather than the kind where she had to knock on the door first and ask permission to enter. Not that anyone at the mansion was particularly good at the latter.</p><p>Reign yanked Psi down by the back of her neck and licked into her mouth. Psi moaned while she reciprocated the contact, getting as close to Reign as she could, hands grappling one another like a desperate sailor reaching for the life raft in the middle of the ocean.</p><p>“I don’t even want to know,” Lena said, sucking her lips into her mouth while she shook her head. “Nope, no way,” she mumbled, averting her gaze.</p><p>If those two wanted to suck faces, then that was their deal. Lena didn’t need any details and she definitely didn’t want to be nearby once all of that turned into a shitstorm. Reign wasn’t the relationship kind of type, although Leslie wasn’t either until she fell in love with Lucy. On another note, Lena had no idea what Reign and Psi hoped to gain, which could be nothing more than sating their hunger for physical contact. Either way, the less Lena knew the better.</p><p>“I know what yer thinkin,” Harley said to Ivy with a wicked grin and a wriggle of her eyebrows.</p><p>Ivy hummed and revealed her devilish smile. “Looks like we found our foursome, Harls.”</p><p>Psi broke her kiss with Reign to glance at the cheeky duo. “Fuck it, the kids won’t be home for another hour, give or take,” she mumbled before looking back at Reign.</p><p>Reign sucked her teeth while her eyes flitted between Psi, Harley, and Ivy. “Fine,” Reign decided, giving Psi’s blouse a strong enough tug to rid it of all its buttons at once. “Could’ve been five of us,” she added as she stared pointedly at Lena.</p><p>“Oh hell no,” Lena laughed. “If I was caught outside while lightning struck and the only way to save myself was to fuck either one of you, I’d rather die.”</p><p>“Geez, you’re rude,” Psi huffed. “How has Kara not dumped your ass?”</p><p>Lena bit back a remark because she knew Psi got hurt and she didn’t want to rub it in further how Imra chose to break up with Psi, something Psi apparently still hadn’t properly placed. But everyone dealt with heartbreak differently, and Lena never saw a vampire go through that before.</p><p>
  <em>I indeed do not deserve Kara. </em>
</p><p>Lena knew she wasn’t a model citizen by any means, but she would spend the rest of forever trying to make up for that, so she would be worthy of someone as sweet as Kara. The blood that was on her hands from the past wasn’t going to wash away. Lena wanted to believe everyone deserved a second chance, including her.</p><p>Lena fetched the boxes she needed to get before leaving the mansion. Outside, Lucy awaited her and took one of the boxes from her. Lena let her, despite the fact she could carry them all by herself just fine.</p><p>“I’m surprised Leslie isn’t attached to your hip tonight,” Lena commented while they walked through the woods, toward the city.</p><p>“Lesleanna respects my wishes to have a moment alone with you,” Lucy replied, smiling thinly as she kept up with Lena’s pace, remaining by her side. “I am proud of the way you’ve grown, Lena,” Lucy praised, smiling brighter then. “The life you’ve built for yourself is remarkable.”</p><p>“I know about the things you did in secret,” Lena brought up with a soft sigh. “Scylla doesn’t want to work at the shelter. It’s not pleasant for her when the dogs bark. You can’t use her or anyone else to spy on Kara, regardless of your intentions. Kara isn’t even at the shelter at night.”</p><p>
  <em>Keeping an eye on Kara won’t bring me to love you. </em>
</p><p>“I fear I cannot stop protecting your happiness,” Lucy whispered, hoisting the box higher as they set foot out of the woods. “Though I shall call Scylla off,” she added with a nod. “She wishes to leave the coven with Raelle.”</p><p>Lena hummed, not in the least surprised those two preferred to go their own way. What did surprise her was how nobody else had run off yet, though she guessed it was only a matter of time before more vampires grew tired of living in Reign’s shadow, under her rules. But while Reign was the eldest among them all, Lena didn’t think of her as a dictator. She knew Reign could be reasoned with and had listened to some of her requests before.</p><p>The hinges creaked when Lucy opened the door of their destination. Inside the building, the air smelled somewhat stale, and there were four rows of beds, each one occupied, some by humans who were barely teenagers while others walked with the help of a cane.</p><p>“Are you certain this is what you want, Magdalena?” Lucy asked in a hushed whisper.</p><p>Lena felt her heart clench while she took another look around, struggling to wrap her head around the fact this was only the first address of the three Leslie provided her with, in this city.</p><p>“Yes,” Lena managed, willing her legs forward. “Are you with me in this, gran?”</p><p>The corners of Lucy’s mouth tugged up. “Always and forever, my littlest one.”</p><p>Lena grimaced. “Yeah no, I’m going back to calling you Luce. This is too weird,” she muttered while she put the boxes down and opened them. “You’re six years younger than me.”</p><p>“On the outside,” Lucy pointed out. “On the inside I’m-”</p><p>“Seasoned,” Lena filled in with a chuckle.</p><p>Lena took one of the shirts Nia bought from the animal shelter, along with a blanket, and handed it over to the first mortal she saw. It caught her off guard how the human smiled at her through wet lashes as they accepted the basic items. The gesture seemed entirely simplistic to Lena and yet it sufficed to make a grown adult weep.</p><p>“Thank you,” the next human said, shivering while they unfolded the blanket.</p><p>“How long have you been homeless?” Lena questioned with a frown.</p><p>The young woman smiled grimly. “Since I was a teenager,” the human answered, hugging her arms around herself. “My parents couldn’t afford food, so I ran away, took to the streets. I had a guitar, but someone stole it.”</p><p>Lena nodded as she sat down next to the human and listened to her story. As the evening progressed, more mortals sought out contact, sharing parts of their life like they needed the social connection more than they did the clothes and the blankets.</p><p>Lena didn’t leave until she gave each human money to offer them a fresh start. To her, it was just paper, something she had a lot of yet rarely used.</p><p>“How art thou feeling, my child?” Lucy questioned when they waded through the woods together.</p><p>“There is such suffering around us,” Lena whispered, clenching her fists. “We must help, use our abilities for good.”</p><p>“I shall be with you every step of the way.”</p><p>“You always have been, Luce,” Lena sighed. “I’m sorry I lashed out at you so much before. You were never the villain in my story.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Lena didn’t dare move much as she slid her arms into the sleek black jacket of her suit, exhaling slowly when it fit like a glove.</p><p>“You’re going to ruin my mascara,” Nia whispered while she waved her hands in front of her face. “I can’t believe you’re wearing the suit I designed.”</p><p>“You’re brilliant, Nia,” Lena praised the teenager as she glimpsed into the mirror. “So why wouldn’t I wear your creation?”</p><p>“Your boobs look amazing.”</p><p>Lena laughed. “Yes, how convenient of you to have forgotten a button,” she commented with a low hum, though she didn’t mind her exposed cleavage or the lack of a bra because Nia insisted she freed her nipples.</p><p>Nia shrugged a shoulder. “Kara will appreciate the sight and you can thank me later when she jumps your bones.”</p><p>Lena’s jaw dropped, and once again, she had to remind herself Nia was much older than her set age, although Nia definitely had the hormones of a teenager. On the other hand, others in the mansion were worse, Ivy and Harley in particular.</p><p>“I love her so much,” Lena sighed softly. She stared at the small box that rested next to her sink before averting her eyes. “What if she…” She cut herself off with a shake of her head.</p><p>“Hey, hey,” Nia whispered, putting her hands on Lena’s elbows, “you two have this can’t stop thinking about each other, mutual attraction, out of this world kind of love. Kara adores the fuck out of you. Like, when you visit her at night, your presence replaces the sun because you light up her life.”</p><p>“That’s…oddly specific,” Lena noted with a frown.</p><p>Nia’s lips curled up into a smile. “Girls talk,” she shared, winking. “And Kara gushes about you, a lot.”</p><p>
  <em>Melt my heart some more, I’m not nervous enough. </em>
</p><p>“I’m happy you two are friends,” Lena said, squeezing Nia’s shoulder.</p><p>“I’m going to design one hell of a dress for her,” Nia grinned as she whisked the comb between her fingertips.</p><p>Lena bit down on her lower lip while ideas of what the future might look like flitted through her head, like a montage. Kara appeared in every single scenario, from the cliché house with the white picket fence surrounded by neighbors who all happened to have a pet, to an island somewhere far away from the general population.</p><p>In the background, Nia talked about how they could travel together, to show Kara beautiful places all around the world. Lena wasn’t necessarily the vacation type, although she was willing to make an exception, especially if it put a smile onto the faces of two people she cared about.</p><p>“I should go,” Lena decided while she tucked the box into the pocket of her jacket. “Don’t wait up,” she teased with a wink as she approached the door.</p><p>A carpet of snow covered the woods and the winter wonderland grew no less gorgeous when Lena neared the city. Some people had taken the liberty of building a snowman out in their front yard and there were colorful lights everywhere, illuminating the way.</p><p>Lena saw the snowball coming as it launched through the air before it hit her smack in the face. Kara’s laughter turned into a gasp and then laughter again when Lena retailed.</p><p>“I got here early to prepare my attack on you,” Kara confessed while she ducked to grab a snowball from a small pile. “Do you want to build a snowman?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.</p><p>
  <em>As if I’d ever say no to you. </em>
</p><p>“Anything for you, darling,” Lena answered, feeling her heart thud just a little in her chest when Kara smiled at her.</p><p>“But first…,” Kara whispered before she jumped into Lena’s arms and took both of them down. “Snow angels!” Kara declared with loud enthusiasm before pecking Lena on the lips.</p><p>Lena scooped up handfuls of snow and gently padded Kara’s cheeks. “How’s this?” Lena hummed, gathering more snow for her angel.</p><p>“Okay, charmer, you know that’s not what I meant.”</p><p>“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Lena announced while she brushed bits of snow from her clothes with the swipe of her fingertips.</p><p>
  <em>I hope Nia won’t be too disappointed if this suit ends up ruined. </em>
</p><p>“Okay,” Kara hummed, “I’m all ears.”</p><p>“I know how you can’t fall asleep with your curtains closed because you want to be able to see the street light or the moon, so your room isn’t cast into total darkness. And I love how your body gravitates towards mine when you’re asleep and how you snore a little sometimes, while you’d tell me you don’t as you stand there blushing. You have this penchant for helping animals and people alike, and I think it’s beautiful how much you care. You carry your heart on your sleeve, even when it’s scary, which is inspiring. Having you in my life has helped me grow and it got me thinking…”</p><p>“I can’t imagine my life without you,” Lena whispered, smiling. “Even though Halloween is your secret favorite holiday while you’re afraid of spooky movies, which makes no sense whatsoever, but your odd quirks make me love you more. I would give you a key to the mansion, though I’d rather make you immortal and open different doors for you.”</p><p>Lena knew all too well there was no pleasure in turning when it resulted in hours of agony, though she had every intention of spending the next centuries making up for that. There were such gorgeous places she could show her beloved one, cities they could visit together, and cultures she could introduce her to. Immortality had perks and Lena couldn’t wait to share those with Kara and to be intimate fully and completely without bounds, at long last.</p><p>Lena reached into her pocket and pulled out the small box. “Kara, will you accept my hand in marriage and spend forever by my side?” she asked while she opened it, revealing a golden ring with an emerald diamond embedded in the middle.</p><p>The ring belonged to Lena’s mother, and it was all she had left in the world of her. She knew her mother wanted her to have it someday, for when she fell in love, and she never thought she would propose to anyone, ever. But Kara was the one, Lena felt it in her soul, in every fiber of her being that their love was meant to be, despite the odds. And she trusted Kara with the most valuable item she possessed and couldn’t think of a greater honor and pleasure than Kara wearing that ring.</p><p>Lena held the ring up between her fingertips, and she wasn’t sure whether to cry or smile or both.</p><p>Kara’s jaw dropped. “Lena, I…I can’t,” she answered, swallowing harshly.</p><p>The response swept the ground from beneath Lena’s feet and in the split second where she lost her focus, her mother’s ring fell into the snow.</p><p>“I want to be with you, I really do,” Kara uttered, chewing her lip. “But…I don’t want to be one of you. I’m human and I want to stay that way. I want to grow old, be out when the sun shines, keep my job at the shelter, and enjoy food. I love you and if you want to stay in my life I won’t deny you that. And if you choose to go, I’ll accept your decision. I’ll always love you, but I can’t marry someone who can’t even go cake tasting with me.”</p><p>
  <em>I see your point, darling. </em>
</p><p>Lena’s eyes filled with tears. “Is this where it ends for us?”</p><p>“I’m only human. I think it’s time we accept our relationship can’t last,” Kara replied, averting her eyes for a moment. “Life is meant to be finite, Lena. Knowing I won’t live forever is what makes me appreciate each day like it’ll be my last because it could be. And I’m at peace with that. If I were to roam the earth without end, I wouldn’t have a purpose. It would be as if time itself stopped existing and I’d have to watch all of my loved ones die. I love you, I do, but I can’t live this kind of life. I can’t marry you. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“If things were different…,” Kara added, but they both knew they weren’t.</p><p>“I would never force immortality on you,” Lena swore, smiling painfully. “You are full of light and of life, and I understand your mind is made up.”</p><p>“I used to dream about marrying you someday,” Kara shared with a wet chuckle, wiping at her eyes. “Before…”</p><p>Lena nodded. She was a vampire, not a human capable of growing old with Kara. Lena couldn’t have the life she wished for, to live in Ireland, owning a cottage, with animals, and enjoy the simplicity of mortality with her wife. Such a dream was but a fantasy, a lie.</p><p>
  <em>I am such a fool. </em>
</p><p>“I…I’ll have to let you go,” Kara whispered, causing both of them to weep. “I think you’ll always be the love of my life,” she said, inhaling a sharp breath. “I wish we could have watched the sunrise together. I’m sorry…I never meant to break your heart. I should go. I have to go. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”</p><p>Lena was left feeling nothing but pain where her heart used to be. She cried, but that only made everything hurt more. In hindsight, she should have known Kara loved her humanity too much to become a blood-drinking vampire. Happily ever after was but an illusion.</p><p>Lena dug through the snow to find her mother’s ring, whimpering when it cracked in her grasp.</p><p>“No,” Lena sniffled, palms open as she stared at the ruined pieces. “Please no.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Sixty years later…</em>
  </strong>
</p><p> </p><p>“I know I said Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but I didn’t think you’d walk in here like Santa Claus.”</p><p>Lena swept the large bag over her shoulder and set it down against the wall. She took the flower that was on top between the tips of her fingers. “One rose for each year I have known and loved you,” she smiled, offering it to Kara. “I took the liberty of ridding them of their thorns,” Lena explained while Kara studied its petals.</p><p>“After all this time…,” Kara sighed, blinking her tired eyes. “You’d still protect me from getting as much as a paper cut.”</p><p>“Of course I would,” Lena replied while she carefully took Kara’s hand in hers.</p><p>“I’m happy to see you, one last time.”</p><p>
  <em>This cannot be where it ends. </em>
</p><p>Lena fought back tears while she observed Kara, her beautiful Kara whose blonde locks had made place for grey ones but whose blue eyes never lost their magnificent brightness. Kara’s veins had grown thicker on the surface of her skin, more visible.</p><p>Lena inhaled a breath she didn’t need. “Do you trust me, Kara?”</p><p>Kara flattened her palms on the mattress beneath her, groaning as she tried to push herself up, only to sink down again.</p><p>“Easy, darling,” Lena whispered, resting her hands against Kara’s shoulders. “Save your last strength,” Lena pleaded while she got rid of the tubes attached to a machine that kept Kara alive.</p><p>Lena scooped Kara up in her arms, a motion she had practiced the past six decades, to prepare her for this day. She jumped out of the window, careful not to jostle Kara and cause her pain. Lena carried her into the park, next to the pond where they first met.</p><p>“Remember when you almost twisted your ankle running down that hill?” Lena reminisced with a faint smile. “You were so eager to see me.”</p><p>“I remember you caught me,” Kara replied, resting her head onto Lena’s shoulder. “You always did,” Kara whispered, voice a bit gravelly. “I am exhausted, baby.”</p><p>Lena blinked away a tear. “I know you are, my love,” she declared, and it felt as if her lungs were underwater, realizing painfully well the kind of rest Kara needed.</p><p>“Thank you…for never having abandoned me. I know I broke your heart by not marrying you. My only regret is the pain I’ve caused you. I thought you’d move on, but you never did.”</p><p>
  <em>I could never abandon you. </em>
</p><p>“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Lena assured. “I made peace with your decision a long time ago and I want you to be at peace, too.”</p><p>“You should run, the sun will rise soon,” Kara warned while her breaths grew ragged and heavy. “You can leave me here.”</p><p>Tears filled Lena’s eyes. “I am not going anywhere, darling,” she whispered, kissing Kara’s warm lips. “I’ve lived long enough,” Lena decided with a hum and a nod, already having said the necessary goodbyes to others. “You wanted to watch the sunrise together, so I’m going to hold you until the sun comes up because I love you, in this life and the next. And as Gandhi said, where there is love, there is life.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>♪ Rest now, my love ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ It's all right ♪</em>
</p><p>
  <em>♪ The dark is gone ♪</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Well, they finally got their sunrise together. Kara enjoyed her humanity too much, so there was no way she was ever going to be on board with becoming a vampire. And in the end, Lena knew that. </p><p>This ending might be seen as sad, but they're both at peace.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is an idea I've been toying with for months and I'm so excited I can finally share it with you all!<br/>As always, don't copy my work anywhere (wish I didn't have to keep saying this). </p><p>Side-note: Nia as a vampire? It's a hell yes from me. </p><p>Let me know your thoughts and of course, kudos are appreciated.<br/>Enjoy the ride because I've got some surprises coming up :-)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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